Hatching Eggs / Paypal CHAT Thread

[sonew123]

Thanks! 

LOVE IT!!!!!!! I NEED ONE OF THOSE!!! lol

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

And If anyone needs poop management help you seriously need to check out my poop boards

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/621363/poop-board-convert-warning-graphic-gross-poop-pictures

 

[cluckitall]

Okay, I suck at incubating. Actually I'm great at incubating, I suck at hatching. Doesn't help when I leave the door slightly ajar on day 20 and the temp drops to 85. I need to figure this out, I really do. I so wish I could simply buy a decent incubator!!! I've killed the most ridiculous number of gorgeous eggs.

Sorry, I just had to berate myself publicly

 

[flocksalot]

COF turkeys are super easy once you get past the initial fragile stage. During that keep em warm, DRY, and make sure they are eating and drinking. I use wet game bird starter as its easier for poults. Remember they are very near sighted to begin with. Shiny things attract them for pecking. They also love to peck food off your fingers. I'll get you a PM with things I can think of as I go.

Right now I have a hatcher full of fuzz, eye balls, and beaks. I think I might have to unload a bit of fluffy butts. I know there's a cute little turkey in the front that wants some momma love and I still need to run to town.

 

[Caitlin_VT]

2 of these will hold more chicks than the GQF brooder and cost you $200.00 no shipping

Plus it looks fairly decent so I'm not embarrassed to sell out of it. A few of my customers have actually asked me where they can buy one

I just brought some water nipples that fit on the end of soda bottles (my pet chicken) http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Feed-and-Water-Supplies/Brooder-Bottle-Cap--p1298.aspx I am going to try to hang water bottles with the nipples so I can get the waterers off the floors in there. I will be doing that this weekend so we'll see...

Get bldg guys- super super easy!

I have the soda bottle nipple waterers. They are really nice for the older birds, but I found my young (2-3 week old) birds just hung around until they had dumped all of the water out!

 

[Caitlin_VT]

Okay, I suck at incubating. Actually I'm great at incubating, I suck at hatching. Doesn't help when I leave the door slightly ajar on day 20 and the temp drops to 85. I need to figure this out, I really do. I so wish I could simply buy a decent incubator!!! I've killed the most ridiculous number of gorgeous eggs.

Sorry, I just had to berate myself publicly

I consistently have the same problem. Eggs develop wonderfully, then I get 1, or 2, or sometimes 3 if I am lucky to hatch out of 10-12 eggs. I have Brinsea thermometers that check multiple times per day. The only variable now is humidity during incubating.. some of my eggs look like the air sacs are too big (ones that do not hatch)... I incubate at 20-30% (I do not add water) for first 17-18 days, then 55-65 for hatching.

 

[Bettacreek]

I have been having issues with them not losing enough during incubation. I think 8 have now hatched from this batch. Sounds awful, out of about 30 eggs, but some were from a terrible shipment with no packing and I never expected any to develop, let alone for one to actually hatch! I've been lucky to get 1 chick per 8ish eggs. The ones that actually internally pip are drowning. I opened the vents 100% and have been incubating between 16-22% humidity and that seems to help. This is in a Sportsman, so it isn't always the bator!

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

We bought the shelves like that for our garage. I think we're at 5 units now. I don't think G would be all that happy if I disassembled one to turn it into a brooder! They're $70 here, so depending on area, it might be a little more than $100, but still a heck of a deal. They are a little heavy though, so take your hubbies if you need help with the 100lb feed sacks.

The shelving unit is definitely heavy but doable. I was able to get it in/out the car myself (I have a minivan and it fit fine). I think it weighs about 60 ish pounds.

 

[cluckitall]

I wish I could say that makes me feel better, but it doesn't!

to everybody on unhatched chickies...

 

[Sahwithchicks]

I'm feeling very fortunate...  I was able to get my daughter into our Arts and Drama magnet school, any district in the county can apply on a lottery system for open spaces.  Play is encouraged, and the day is often broken up with juggling or such.  I can't wait for her to start Kinder in the fall!  And it's still a half day, thankfully.  Although in some ways Idaho is a wee bit backwards.  Kinder isn't a requirement here, it's just an option, which seems so odd to me!

That sounds amazing. There is a charter school I town, I am going to stop by today and ask some questions, I am not sure I they charge tuition or do kindergarten. Otherwise those are my options unless I chose another town, 30+ minutes away.
One of te teachers actually gave a little talk about how academically driven things are now, and that there isn't much fun for kids. She said, "it's not going to work well for the kids, when they are 14 and haven't even able to play since they where 4."