11th Annual Easter Hatch a Long 2020

[ronott1]

I am about out of Blue egg layers. Going to cross my old crème legbars to the only Easter egger roo. Between the neighbor dogs and the fox they pretty much killed every thing off. Been watching for some wheaten amerucanas or eggs for them. But so far no luck.. Don't want to hatch to many.
It is kinda funny my neighbor hear I started the bator up He wants me to hatch him some eggs. Spring has sprung. Everyone has got the bug... At least if I hatch his chicks they will leave the next day. LOL
It is a good way to take your mine off the virus....

It is pretty sad news! Good fun and news about hatching is the perfect distraction

 

[muddy75]

Oh wow!! I'm waiting til June to order some, but I wonder if I’ll be able to with this surge of chick ordering! (I am waiting til June to add guineas to my order since last time I ordered 15 only 6 survived—thanks to my dog —and all are male so I want to try and see if I can get at least one female. My only female got eaten by a hawk just last month too!!)

I just had a friend call me yesterday ....I had mentioned going in on some Cornish cross to add meat to the freezer....the aside is that he said if we split purchase and feed costs and we did all the butchering he’d clean up the coop to house them.....ie that ain’t a fair trade by any sense for me to take enough for our personal use.....but then I checked Meyer anyway and they have 1 available for May 4th hatch!!!

 

[ronott1]

Here in central Florida, too. The local news did a story on it this morning.

Folks have been asking for chicks since mid-February. In the Age of Covid, laying hens are in great demand. So... I sell my straight-run chicks for cheap (less than farm supply stores) and if I can sex them, then the price goes up. Spare cockerels go to the local raptor rescue so the admin doesn't have to buy raptor food and can allocate the $$ towards educational programs. Sad for the boychicks, but it's their destiny a little sooner than later.

When I was at the Tractor Store yesterday, they had a lot of baby chicks and one stock waterer of Ducks!

 

[ronott1]

Am I allowed to start posting about numbers yet? lol I've been keeping my updates to a minimum because I have a tendency to blab my numbers.

Soon!

 

[Jules929]

Soon!

 

[muddy75]

I actually witnessed my male pheasant breeding my female pheasant today but she’s the egg-eater in the flock so if I can grab them as soon as she lays maybe I can throw some in the bator!!!

 

[ronott1]

A week before they hatch is NOT a good idea for my incubator to eat poop. If money were not an issue which incubator would you recommend. I know there’s a ton and people have different experience with each one, both good and bad. I’m just needing a starting point because I will be ordering one today. Preferably not a still air one.

I’m looking at my built in thermometer and it’s going crazy. In 10 secs it has read 10 different temperatures all while having the heater on constantly. So I think that’s how it managed to get to 108 earlier.

 

[ronott1]

So my incubator was accidentally unplugged for a few minutes. I kind of freaked out even though I know it wasn't for long since I was just in the room with them. My brother (11yrold) accidentally unplugged it when getting something else off the counter, I wonder how loose the power cords were that he could just do that and not notice.
Temperature is back to normal now, and since it wasn't long everything should still be okay. I was planning to do my last candling tonight too. The humidity Is really high right now though, 65% instead of the usual 50%. Since I've still got a week left until hatch day I hope it drops back to where it's meant to be.

The humidity should go back down soon

Gotta watch those sibs!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Turns out my husband does so much business in our TSC that they’re willing to exchange this faulty one for a new one!! AND they had the Nurture Right 360 in stock so he bought that one too. Now to make the switch since I need to clear this one so he can return it and the offer is only open today.

Put something warm in an insulated lunch box or a cooler! The NR360 warms up very quickly. It's better than taking chances with a incubator that's all over the place.

 

[hysop]

Put something warm in an insulated lunch box or a cooler! The NR360 warms up very quickly. It's better than taking chances with a incubator that's all over the place.

It’s pretty hot outside (85*), and their temp was already really high from the faulty incubator, so putting them outside for a few mins didn’t seem to have changed their temperature at all. You’re right it did not take long to get to temperature. I am trying to up the humidity and add a thermometer in there but not sure how since I can’t read it if I put it in the middle. With all this craziness, whoever hatches out of this batch will be miracle chicks!