[kegs]

Has anyone got any experience of placing modified egg boxes in an incubator during lock down?

A couple of poultry sites recommend cutting up new egg boxes, placing air holes in the bottom and putting one egg blunt side down in each.  This apparently helps to keep the incubator clean and saves the eggs rolling around during the pippin stage which stops the chicks becoming exhausted and stops them bumping into any delicate egg causing damage.

The down side is that the boxes slightly reduce humidity and the cardboard boxes even when new are not thoroughly hygienic.

I can't decide whether to use them or not so would appreciate your thoughts?

 

[bantam novice]

Hello Kegs,
sorry that I can't advise you - never used an incubator - just wanted to wish you luck with your incubating whatever you decide.   

[neenyneen]

what about the foam or plastic egg boxes, they would be less likely to reduce the humidity and you could probably spray them with disinfectant before placing them in the incubator to be on the safe side.

I too have never incubated anything and am new to chicken keeping (but loving it!).

Good Luck

Janina

[GrannieAnnie]

The air sac is in the blunt end of the egg, so I am unsure why they are saying put blunt end down?

All my eggs go in incy blunt end up, and I would have thought that if a chick pips all round the egg shell and its sitting on top of the chick, could the chick suffocate if it can't get the shell off?

I've never heard of this, and don't think I like the idea of it, but that is just my own personal opinion Kerry! 

[AL Hathaway]

I dont see the point in it. it would be like leaving the deviders in place. the chick would do more damage to itself than if just left to move around.

i have hatched loads of babies out the Normal way and only had one mishap as a chick stepped on ones shell that was still attached to the egg sack but that was only once.

i have hatched over 500  this year. plus having the babies bumpping around helps with the hatch if your so worried you could move them as they hatch to a hatcher/dryer.

just my own opinion

[Casey76]

I know this seems to be quite common practice in the US, but I don't like the idea of it, tbh.

What happens if the chick pips at the wrong end, and this can happen frequently if you haven't got your humidity right, and the chick grows a bit too big?  If the egg is lying on it's side then it still has a good chance of getting out.  Similarly, if the chick pips the side of the shell, and meets with a carboard barrier, it is going to suffocate.

Again, as with what some of the others have said, the eggs rolling around, and knocking into each other stimulates the unhatched chicks to get a move on.  If you want to keep  strains or breeds or colours separate, you can place three or 4 eggs into a 20 x 30 laundry bag in the incubator/hatcher, as long as you have enough "floor space" for the eggs to roll around in.



Incubation, and particularly, hatching is a very messy business!  Which is why most modern incubators are made of plastic for easy cleaning and sterilization.

[kegs]

The air sac is in the blunt end of the egg, so I am unsure why they are saying put blunt end down?

You're quite right Ann it should be blunt end up - it was a typing error. 

I know this seems to be quite common practice in the US, but I don't like the idea of it, tbh.

What happens if the chick pips at the wrong end, and this can happen frequently if you haven't got your humidity right, and the chick grows a bit too big?  If the egg is lying on it's side then it still has a good chance of getting out.  Similarly, if the chick pips the side of the shell, and meets with a carboard barrier, it is going to suffocate.

Again, as with what some of the others have said, the eggs rolling around, and knocking into each other stimulates the unhatched chicks to get a move on. 

Hi Casey - They were mainly US sites.  The cardboard apparently only reduces the humidity by 4% which can be modified.  The eggs could be placed on their sides if preferred but the base of each cardboard egg box has a circle cut out to prevent suffocation.  The general concensus seemed to be that the chicks hatched quicker and stronger as they weren't so exhausted with trying to stop the eggs rolling around and that it gives better results for eggs that have had the air sacks broken in the post. 

I'm still undecided - but I really appreciate everyones input, and I've got 6 days left to decide!   

[Casey76]

Why don't you try half and half