Using Egg Cartons in the hatcher

[RHewitt]

The carton has worked great for me and I do cut the hole out in the bottom and also use the paper kind. One thing to watch out for is a chick that zips at the small end down in the carton instead of around the top. Does not happen often but if it does, wait as long as you can before opening the incubator and turn the egg over so the chick can hatch or give them a little help out of the shell. Again this should be a LAST Resort at the end of the hatching process. You may be able to save a chick or two and increase your success.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Yes, I do. I also use the paper cartons, I wouldnt use the styrafoam or plastic ones.

 

[lavenderman]

Thank you everyone for the input - that's just what I needed to know. I will try it and use paper egg cartons and I think I will try it with dime sized holes in the bottom. I remember cleaning out the hatcher isn't always enjoyable and this should make it easier. I'll take some pics during and after the hatch and post them.
Thank You again

 

[Mrs MIA]

Harley'sGirl, I haven't had any trouble with hatches when I don't cut the bottom. I do only use the paper fiber cartons, both for incubating and hatching, but I don't worry about cutting out the bottoms in the hatcher. Almost all the little shell chips stay in the carton so clean-up is a breeze.

I've done all my hatches like this since I read about it last summer. I can't believe I was worried about trying it!

 

[Katy]

I started hatching in egg cartons last spring......I'll never go back to just laying them on their sides. My hatch rates have went way up since I started doing it that way. I just hatched 23 out of 24 sunday into monday morning.

I don't cut the bottoms out either.

 

[wilds of pa]

I love your user name..

anyway you will get mixed opinions on this one,,however i never tried to use an egg carton yet to date.
well sometimes they way we hatch you'd need a hole case of cartons to do it!

but try it, others have good success with and with out..

For us its just one thing less to worry about..We normally get 98%-100% hatch rates here with out....


Charlie

 

[jbowyer01]

I just set my first batch on sunday (mind you its only 5 eggs since its the very first time). I've never incubated before and I'm using a carton because I was worried about the eggs rolling. I never thought to cut the bottoms out so I guess I just began a very big experiment.

 

[EweSheep]

I've used both and had success with both! Humidity is not a problem here for my incubators (Hovabators).

 

[BawGock]

Quote:
I just did my first hatch ever and I used a paper carton bottom with my eggs because I was worried about them rolling, too. I did not cut holes in the bottom and had no problems with any of the 11 eggs hatching in the carton.
BirdBoy88 had a post with pictures not too long ago and he actually used a couple turner racks (taken off the turner) to hold the eggs during the hatch. He said he liked using them in case a chick pipped low because more of the egg was exposed in the racks then they would be in a carton. I was impressed by this and will probably give it a try next time to experiment.
Carolyn

 

[MikkeyP]

this is all so interesting....one question though, you have the eggs lying on their sides, right? Otherwise there is a problem with the oxygen sac or no?
I did have a few eggs explode last year on the wire, and boy was it a mess....hurredly put the other eggs on a heating pad in a crate, covered them and ran outside to disinfect the incubator. Now my daughter(15) who is the pro is candleing the eggs at least twice a week. That way, we get rid of any bad ones immediately. We had mostly duck eggs. I want to try quail eggs so badly this year!!! We hatch peachicks and chick eggs for a friend also. The first year, our hatch was around 97%. we hatched alot of ornamental pheasants that year too for our friend. Daughter just started putting eggs in the bator in her room. Most of the ducks haven't started laying yet. can't wait. We are far north and we still don't have enough light throughout the day for them to lay. The ones that are laying have a light in their box. The other problem is, is they freeze if we don't get out there at the right time. We are supposed to get 3-6 inches of snow tonight.