Rolling eggs (in incubator)

[RM44]

My incubator is an old Hovabator, still-air model. The floor of the incubator is a metal grid that is warped and doesn't lay completely flat. I have tried straightening it out, but just can't get it to lay flat. So when I take the eggs out of the turner on lock down day and lay them on the floor, they roll around like crazy. I am afraid the rolling will damage the baby chicks, so I have been using popsicle sticks on 2 sides of the eggs to keep them in place. Does this present a problem for the chicks when they try to hatch out of the egg? Or should I just let them roll around?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

that should work
you can also stand them up in an egg carton, air sac up. Or even put some paper towels in there.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

If what I am picturing is right, that shouldn't hurt anything, but I was going to suggest the egg cartons as well. Only, if you hatch in egg cartons, make sure you cut out the bottom of the cups for air circulation.

 

[aart]

This is what I used....worked pretty good.

 

[RM44]

Thanks to all that answered. I am happy to report an 80% hatch rate on my very first "back yard mutts" from my own flock. Only my second incubator experience, and the first one using eggs collected from my own flock.

Thanks again to all!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks to all that answered. I am happy to report an 80% hatch rate on my very first "back yard mutts" from my own flock. Only my second incubator experience, and the first one using eggs collected from my own flock.

Thanks again to all!

Congrats! I love my barnyard mutts.