using egg cartons ?

[tia]

I put them in an egg carton when it is time for lock down. They manage to get out pretty easily. I cut the bottom off a little. I like this... my thinking is if it is in the same position it is easier for them to pip and zip.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I'm not Clairabean, but I've hatched a lot of eggs. For day 7 you really should not be adding so much water....48% percent is too high for this stage of incubation. 30-35% is what you want to aim for.

As for the cartons for hatching......why do you not want to put them all in cartons?

 

[kingsfarm]

Katy--o my gosh - have I hurt them, will immediately take out the one red plug I just put in - shoot - hope humidity gets back to at least what it had been holding at 38. . then what .. no more water? day 1 - 18 should be at 30 - 35 true? I have a LG / with egg turner/fan...I am keeping a record of this journey so NEXT time I will know what to do with MY situation... I don't know about the egg cartons - are they the gray ones - I call them the old time ones - not plastic....my friend is hatching same time as me...I think I will use the egg carton way to compare with hers...my first time I will be blessed if ONE is hatched... please answer do you cut the bottom off ?

 

[gryeyes]

I use either the paper or Styrofoam cartons, whatever I have handy at the time. (Because you discard the used ones after each hatch - they get dirty.) I don't cut a lot of the "top" parts of the bottom section off, but I do cut holes in the bottom of the cups. Cut the whole flat bottom bit off.

And I use them for the entire period, incubation and hatch. My incubators sit in turn cradles which turn the entire incubator. Hands free! The eggs do not fall out of the cartons.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
No I don't think you've hurt them....just let your humidity get back down and then don't bump it up until the last 3 days. Yes 30-35% for the first 18 days works for most people altho some of it is trial and error to find what works best for your location.

Yes, I just use the grey pulp ones. And no I don't cut the bottom out.....I just remove the lid and they're good to go.

 

[kingsfarm]

Katy, thank you....I WILL put all 42 eggs in egg cartons...will NOT add any more water until lockdown (unless Humidity goes below 30) Day 18 will take them out of egg turner and put them in cartons POINT down..correct? will add water to fill bottom of incubator to boost humidity to between 50-70... am I on the right road now... will candle day 10 I think to make sure they have had time to develop..Your information is helpful to us thank you so much...please keep up with our progress. Artathart....are you going to use this method?

 

[Katy]

Quote:
Sounds good

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I'm jumping in on this thread but I would like to clarify humidity for the first part of the hatch. (I'm panicking now!) I'm using a hovabator Genesis. First time hatcher. The instructions with the incubator said to fill the small tray with water for the first 18 days. After 24 hours with eggs in, the humidity is hovering around 50%. Am I to understand that I should reduce the humidity (let the tray dry out) and then fill both trays (large and small) at day 18 to boost the humidity for the hatch? (Humidity in the house is also at 50%. Perhaps even higher at this time of year.) I SO want these eggs to hatch !!!!!

 

[kingsfarm]

I live in Louisiana .. humid .. I started my incubator same as you, put water in again Day 4 - temps ran consistant 99.5 and 38 until I added water Day 7 (Katy said a no no ) took red plug OUT and letting whole thing dry out...won't add water unless Hum. drops below 30...will put in egg cartons on day 18 fill up with water and lockdown ... end of story... I pray this will be successful because if it is I will be doing this from now on....let us know how you are doing.....I have never heard of the egg carton thing but here I go first time hatcher - G

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I have 3 genesis incubators. I add maybe 1/8 cup of water to start off and add a tiny bit every 3 or 4 days...to keep the humidity at about 30%. That is what I've found works best for me.....depending on where you are it could be a bit different. If I were you I'd try and get the humidity down a little either by removing some of the water or just not adding any more until it gets down some. For the last 3 days add enough to get your humidity up to about 60%.....the amount you have to add can vary depending on the area you live in. If the humidity is too high throughout the incubation the eggs can't dry down enough and the air cell won't be large enough and the chicks can drown when they internally pip.