why do we incubate eggs standing up????

[PeacockMan]

Put the temp at 99.5 and the humidity at 60%. What are you using to measure both?

 

[Cats Cradle]

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

I have bantam eggs that sit just like you're describing. They do just fine like that for me. I was always careful to cut the cartons really low for them so that they didn't have anything in the way when pipping and zipping.

What are your small eggs?

 

[Roxannemc]

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!!!

Iread about this egg carton thing before and just thought it was because it was less messy in the incubator, less banging around too....I lock down tomorrow so glad i saw this thread today. Helpful! Mine ARE in a turner standing up.I just have 3 good ones so I need all the help i can get to get a chicks or 2

 

[chicks4fun]

Put the temp at 99.5 and the humidity at 60%. What are you using to measure both?

It came with two thermometers (on plastic) and I bought a hygrometer.
If you start at 60% what do you do at the end of the hatch?
My temp has been holding good at 99.5 (I borrowed this incubator since I was given these eggs so I was a bit nervous not knowing the equipment).

 

[chicks4fun]

Mille Fleur d'Uccle eggs

 

[chicks4fun]

Iread about this egg carton thing before and just thought it was because it was less messy in the incubator, less banging around too....I lock down tomorrow so glad i saw this thread today. Helpful! Mine ARE in a turner standing up.I just have 3 good ones so I need all the help i can get to get a chicks or 2

Good luck Roxannemc. Let us know how your hatch does.

 

[PeacockMan]

Here is where most go wrong. You must set and monitor the incubator with a proven and trusted thometer. Then you must take a thometer (tested), put a sock on it and check the humidity the old fashion way by taking your reading and using a conversion chart. You can not trust an instrument to do it for you.

 

[3ChickensinNC]

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!!!

Where did you buy the hatching tray? I think I will try this.

 

[Cats Cradle]

Roxannemc - Good luck with your hatch!

I'd love to hear how it goes!


Chicks4fun - I LOVE d'Uccles!!! We have a self blue pair!


3ChickensinNC - The only place I could find the single trays was Brinsea. I almost ordered there, but then realized that with three kids starting 4H and the number of chickens here growing I went ahead and got a 6 pack directly from GQF as it was cheaper per tray. I'm talking about the GQF 246 "Universal Egg Trays." They turn out to be quite handy for storing eggs too!

 

[LukeandAli]

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.

I never knew that, but, it makes complete sense! What about if you use an egg turner? Should you hatch them in an egg carton?