why do we incubate eggs standing up????

[chicks4fun]

Okay, I first will say that I am brand new to egg incubation.
I hope this question doesn't sound completely stupid

to all you experienced folks.

I have hatched before but I used a broody. I've been reading through these threads and there is soooooo much information out here and I really appreciate all these posts. While reading I was thinking about how my hen hatches her eggs.
Anyway, I it occurred to me that when my broody hatches eggs it seems the eggs are all on their sides. It made me wonder about egg position. I read to put the small end down and of course the egg sits UP in an incubator. The last 2 days it lays on it's side. Correct?

Why do we incubate eggs standing up? Hen's don't. Just curious.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

The eggs take up less space in an incubator when they are upright, thats why I do it. It doesn't make much difference.

Just a quick correction though, in my experience if you incubate with the eggs on their sides, you should hatch them on their sides. Same with incubating upright, you should hatch them upright in egg cartons as well. I get much better hatches this way.

 

[chicks4fun]

. . . in my experience if you incubate with the eggs on their sides, you should hatch them on their sides. Same with incubating upright, you should hatch them upright in egg cartons as well. I get much better hatches this way.

Thanks. So since I started today in the traditional egg turner (borrowed an incubator as it is too hot to ask a broody to sit) I should on day 18 remove the turner & place them upright in an egg carton? I really liked having a hen hatch for me, it was so simple.

 

[PeacockMan]

People hatch eggs on end because it increases incubator capacity. And, most do not seem to be concerned with the lower hatch rate this causes. It you have expensive eggs especially from seasonal layers of some kind, you should incubate and hatch eggs on their sides. In addition to the automatic turner the eggs should be turned manually 180 degrees morning and night with the eggs on their sides with the small end turned slightly down. Try to learn how to operate your incubator properly and how to set the temp and humidity the old fashion without relying on digital readings. Just about 100% of people who have an incubator never understand exactly how to use them and all seem to have some cockamamie system for running them.

 

[chicks4fun]

People hatch eggs on end because it increases incubator capacity. And, most do not seem to be concerned with the lower hatch rate this causes. It you have expensive eggs especially from seasonal layers of some kind, you should incubate and hatch eggs on their sides. In addition to the automatic turner the eggs should be turned manually 180 degrees morning and night with the eggs on their sides with the small end turned slightly down. Try to learn how to operate your incubator properly and how to set the temp and humidity the old fashion without relying on digital readings. Just about 100% of people who have an incubator never understand exactly how to use them and all seem to have some cockamamie system for running them.

Thanks--- my problem is that the information I am finding about how to hatch in an incubator is not at all consistent.
What are your thoughts on the humidity?
I am hatching seven eggs so capacity doesn't play into it for me. I borrowed this incubator and this is my first experience (I usually let a hen do this as I believe nature knows better---my last hatch rate was 100% but it's too hot & no one is broody right now)
FYI I don't have anything digital

 

[Cats Cradle]

Thanks. So since I started today in the traditional egg turner (borrowed an incubator as it is too hot to ask a broody to sit) I should on day 18 remove the turner & place them upright in an egg carton? I really liked having a hen hatch for me, it was so simple.

That's what I would do!

I used to take the eggs out of the turner and lay on their sides at lockdown for hatching. My hatch rates were't bad, but I lost some chicks that pipped and didn't make it. I blamed that on the way the eggs get knocked around by the ones that hatch first. Since switching to putting them in cartons for lockdown, I almost never loose one that has pipped. I don't know if its the position, or the lack of getting rolled around by other chicks, but either way I am happy with the improvement. This last hatch I had 33 hatch out of 36 eggs set. All that made it to lockdown hatched!

The way I did the cartons was to cut them down low, so there is no carton left where the chick will be zipping. I also cut out the bottom so that the eggs had plenty of air. The carton ends up looking like a bunch of connected circles. But... I got tired of cutting down cartons, so I ordered a tray like you would use in a cabinet incubator. It fits great in my Genesis! There is actually more room for the chicks to run around after they hatch than there is with the cartons. And it's cheap... I think you can get a single tray for about $10.00.

Enjoy your hatch!!!

 

[chicks4fun]

That's what I would do!

I used to take the eggs out of the turner and lay on their sides at lockdown for hatching. My hatch rates were't bad, but I lost some chicks that pipped and didn't make it. I blamed that on the way the eggs get knocked around by the ones that hatch first. Since switching to putting them in cartons for lockdown, I almost never loose one that has pipped. I don't know if its the position, or the lack of getting rolled around by other chicks, but either way I am happy with the improvement. This last hatch I had 33 hatch out of 36 eggs set. All that made it to lockdown hatched!

The way I did the cartons was to cut them down low, so there is no carton left where the chick will be zipping. I also cut out the bottom so that the eggs had plenty of air. The carton ends up looking like a bunch of connected circles. But... I got tired of cutting down cartons, so I ordered a tray like you would use in a cabinet incubator. It fits great in my Genesis! There is actually more room for the chicks to run around after they hatch than there is with the cartons. And it's cheap... I think you can get a single tray for about $10.00.

Enjoy your hatch!!!

Wow, thanks for the advice & Info

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just a quick correction though, in my experience if you incubate with the eggs on their sides, you should hatch them on their sides. Same with incubating upright, you should hatch them upright in egg cartons as well. I get much better hatches this way.

Interesting theory. It just has such a simple logic to it. Is this based on your observations or is there a study or something else about this? In the videos of the hatcheries I've never noticed what they do.

 

[rosiethechicken]

Here is my theory on this subject. Bird (and chicken) nests are never flat in the wild. They look like a slice of sphere.
And when you imagine a chicken sitting in there, like setting a slide of another smaller sphere in there,
there would be less space at the bottom than top of sides.

Eggs nicely fit with their small ends down in this setup. But things would be ok as long as large end is slightly up.
Gravity pulls the blood down in general and I dont think chicks do too well with their heads down in the egg .

 

[chicks4fun]

thanks for the input---I have them in an egg turner (since they are small eggs they are slightly on their side, not straight up----
I was just wondering about this & wondered what others thought on this subject