Should I hatch my shipped eggs upright or on their side?

[Pigeony]

So I've hatched from local eggs a good couple times now and had pretty decent average hatch rates, but my first attempt at hatching shipped eggs was...abysmal honestly. I hatched one chick out of 20 which ended being very weak anyway and failed to thrive. I've made some changes to my incubation and am trying again in the hopes I can do better and actually get some chickens this time. They've been set for 7 days at this point, I have a good ratio of surviving eggs so far and I'd like to keep it that way.

But, I still have concerns with lockdown. I see a lot of different opinions. Should I hatch these eggs upright in cut-up cartons or should I hatch them as per usual on their sides? What is your experience, what do you recommend?

 

[GodLovesU]

I’ve always done them on their side.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

I can't say for sure which is better but I can tell you that a week and a half ago I got an 80% hatch rate on my shipped quail eggs with hatching with a turner on their side.

 

[FAVEROLLES LOVER]

I’ve always done them on their side.

Chickens hatch the eggs on their sides. I have seen my chickens sway back and forth to roll them. Smart birds. I always incubate them on their sides if hatching many eggs and need the room upright you get more room.

 

[Sic]

For future reference - I've had 98% hatch rate with shipped eggs. I let them settle (sit upright with aircell up) in egg carton for 24 hours. Before setting them in the incubator I spray them with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let them airdry. I poke holes in the cups of half cardboard egg cartons to allow more airflow and put them(in the cartons)in the incubator, for 48 hours they are not moved. After 48 hours I tilt them to a 45° angle, and they stay at that angle until lockdown, I hand turn (spin) them a quarter turn every hour every day, at night every two hours. Even days they are turned clockwise, odd days they are turned counter clockwise. At lockdown I remove them from the carton and lay them on their sides.

 

[Kiki]

Upright for the win.

 

[Pigeony]

For future reference - I've had 98% hatch rate with shipped eggs. I let them settle (sit upright with aircell up) in egg carton for 24 hours. Before setting them in the incubator I spray them with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let them airdry. I poke holes in the cups of half cardboard egg cartons to allow more airflow and put them(in the cartons)in the incubator, for 48 hours they are not moved. After 48 hours I tilt them to a 45° angle, and they stay at that angle until lockdown, I hand turn (spin) them a quarter turn every hour every day, at night every two hours. Even days they are turned clockwise, odd days they are turned counter clockwise. At lockdown I remove them from the carton and lay them on their sides.

Thank you for this! I may try your method in the future. My current hatch is actually at hatch day today, and I decided to do incubation and lockdown with them laying on their sides. So far out of 16 eggs that are in lockdown, 4 have pipped and two has hatched, so it's looking like this hatch went much better than my first attempt at shipped eggs.

 

[Slothinc]

Thank you for this! I may try your method in the future. My current hatch is actually at hatch day today, and I decided to do incubation and lockdown with them laying on their sides. So far out of 16 eggs that are in lockdown, 4 have pipped and two has hatched, so it's looking like this hatch went much better than my first attempt at shipped eggs.

Congratulations!! So exciting!!!

 

[Pigeony]

Congratulations!! So exciting!!!

5 chicks out so far and at least one more pipped! Could be more pipped but it's getting a lot harder to see what's going on in that incubator and the hatchlings keep playing soccer with the unborn XD.

 

[Pigeony]

5 chicks out so far and at least one more pipped! Could be more pipped but it's getting a lot harder to see what's going on in that incubator and the hatchlings keep playing soccer with the unborn XD.