egg cartons in incubators

[therandomhatcher]

I'm hatching a batch of Coturnix quail eggs, I was thinking about using egg cartons. Can they hatch when they are sitting in an egg carton?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Why would you use egg cartons?

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

They can, yes, but it's harder for them to do so. @Kiki

 

[Sheepheart]

You can, but it is more difficult for the chick when trying to hatch. Also it would be a bit difficult to turn the eggs since a carton limits egg positions.
Are you trying to keep them from rolling around on you?

 

[therandomhatcher]

I would put them in it at lockdown to avoid hatched chicks from rolling other eggs that are in the process of hatching

 

[Sheepheart]

I would put them in it at lockdown to avoid hatched chicks from rolling other eggs that are in the process of hatching

I wouldn’t worry to much about that, but you can make little egg holders to help prevent rolling of your really worried. Some people make little circles that the eggs sit on out of yarn. They make these carton like things for shipping fruit that have egg shaped shallow curves that might work if your incubator has enough space.
But I wouldn’t put them in a carton, I think it would be more detrimental to the hatching chicks than an already hatched chick moving an egg

edit:
Here’s one of the fruit trays

If you search fiber fruit tray you can find multiple varieties. Size, shape, etc.

 

[therandomhatcher]

thank you

 

[Sheepheart]

thank you

Of course.
I actually have some larger fruit trays with more oblong divots. Someone lost an Apple shipping box on our road, empty of course, and it had two of these trays and I decided to keep them because they looked like they would hold an egg is place rather well. Especially if I was incubating a small number of eggs and didn’t want them rolling around to much.

 

[SpicyDill]

I have shipped eggs in lockdown, and I kept them in cartons during most of the incubation process (damaged air cells + I can fit more eggs into the incubator that way) but I've pulled them out for lockdown/hatch. It's easier for them to hatch if they're not so confined. If I had a smaller number of eggs and/or a larger incubator, or was concerned about keeping different breeds/colors of chicks contained, I might try the fruit tray method. I like to keep it simple, though.

 

[therandomhatcher]

will air cells detach in a plastic egg carton if *I* drive them home? only a 15-minute drive.