4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[karimw]

Depends on the chickens. Sometimes I can get away with it, sometimes I can't. I usually wait to introduce them when they are half the size of the adults, and before that, all thats separates them is a dog kennel panel so that they can see each other and interact. When you first introduce them, they'll get picked on. You'll probably see chickens bonking them on the head. You need to decide the violence level, if it gets to bad, then separate again. If the chicks are avoiding the older chickens and it's just a peck here and there, they'll be fine. The older chickens need to establish a pecking order, so you won't get out of that one. The chicks will figure out their place pretty fast and eventually everyone will get used to each other. As they grow, they'll be considered higher on the pecking order.

If a broody hen hatches, I have found that everyone is accepted right away as hers, and if the other chickens try to peck at them, momma hen will protect her babies. My rooster even helped raise them.

Good Luck.

When I put chicks in the coop with the older birds I make sure they have plenty of places they can hide to get away from the bullies. This fall I had to wait a little longer until I sent the young turkeys to freezer camp because they tolerate no new comers. Mean things!

My four week olds still have a heat lamp and I'm in PHOENIX!

Yesterday we had a record high temp (tied) at 82 degrees!

I'm putting some four day olds with a broody mama into a grow out pen without a heal lamp though.

Wow, if I did that my poor babies would be panting! Of course your 4 week olds probably aren't fully feathered yet. Mine were hatched by a broody in an outdoor rabbit coop with temps ranging from 15 - 60 over the past 6 weeks. They did amazingly well and feathered out really fast. I was surprised how little time they spent under mama. I won't do that with my incubator hatched chicks though, they'll be inside until feathered out.

 

[mstricer]

We can ship to Alaska. I sent 80 eggs the beginning of Oct. The customer had a 52% hatch rate

That is a good hatch rate and nice to know. They could win some of the prizes, get them sent when the weather warms.

 

[cochins1088]

A quick question for those of you who use a genesis incuabtor. Frist of all, I'm very impressed. Holds 99.5 - 100 degrees perfectly with no adjusting. I was wondering if you guys have ever seen temperature flucuations with an over crowded incubator. With the 1602N, anytime that I actually filled it, temperatures would go way out of wack (109 F on the thrid day) so I found out I could only put in a maximum of 24 eggs. I'm really excited about this genesis and I really want to fill it as full as I can, but I'm not sure if will affect the temperatures... So has anyone else filled the genesis with eggs to its max?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Well my uncle who I' will visiting on Sunday says I can take all the eggs he has collected for the last few days and up to Sunday to help fill my incubator on the 11th. My hens are preforming so poorly I didn't even know if I would get a bakers dozen.

So I'm going to pack that incubator as full as I can and see what happens on 1/1/13! Of course his flock is so mixed that I've no clue what will pop out chick wise. Oh well I will put them on Craigslist as special NYD baby chicks and see if they sell for spring egg layers.

Thats an awesome idea!! Should be exciting with a full bator of local eggs!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

With finals week being next week, and a ton projects due before than. I found a couple of ways to include the hatch along in my college work. For my 8+ page research paper, I'm writing it on incubating eggs versus using a broody hen. For my narritive essay on something new that I tried, I'm going to try to write it on whatever I decide to build or sew for the ingenious chicken design conest. And for my drawing class, I'm going to try to draw an egg hatching. The art professor also gives bonus points for unique ideas, so might as well draw on an egg with a felt marker and turn that in as well. Gosh I'm good, I only hope I can get this all done on top of physics, I can't wait for christmas break...

Thats a perfect idea! I cant wait to see what you come up with for the chicken design idea!!

 

[draye]

I've inteaded to do these hatch-a-longs for the past 2 years, but always fail to plan on time to get them on.
I have an wempty bator now, but have to wait a bit to put any on, don't have the space to put them in after hatch.
Oh well, maybe next year.

Good luck on everyones hatches! ​

 

[mommaclucker]

I sure hope everyone getting shipped eggs has better luck then im having second order that has been lost if this one doesnt arrive I wont be in the NYD hatch as I cant find local eggs GRRRR USPS .

 

[mstricer]

A quick question for those of you who use a genesis incuabtor. Frist of all, I'm very impressed. Holds 99.5 - 100 degrees perfectly with no adjusting. I was wondering if you guys have ever seen temperature flucuations with an over crowded incubator. With the 1602N, anytime that I actually filled it, temperatures would go way out of wack (109 F on the thrid day) so I found out I could only put in a maximum of 24 eggs. I'm really excited about this genesis and I really want to fill it as full as I can, but I'm not sure if will affect the temperatures... So has anyone else filled the genesis with eggs to its max?

I have both also, and have never noticed that. My 1602N holds the temp fantastic, even if I bump the lid around when cleaning a little and it holds great, even with a full incubator.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks guys! Do you add any heat at first? I guess I wouldn't worry so much if a hen hatched them outside, because they would be used to the temps. It just seems like going from being in the upper 60s in my basement, and then the next day out into Minnesota's Feb temps (even in a nice snug coop) would be harsh?

That's why mine go outside from the beginning with a 2 lamp hover brooder open all around for access to cool space. No shock later.
With a broody I don't add heat but I've never had a broody below 20 degrees.

I'm getting 50 Freedom Ranger chicks tomorrow morning so I'm getting the brooder house ready today. It is uninsulated with no heat other than the brooder. Near the lamps(at either end) it is just over 100, in the center around 90 and a couple feet outside the brooder it is within a couple degrees of outdoor temps. Just like a giant broody hen. They feather fast and if really cold very few microbes survive in the house.

I have 30 eggs in the incubator now and hope to set at least 24 for the NYD hatch so that will be 3 staggered hatches in the brooder house.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I have 2 EE eggs, 4 polish x barred Rock, eggs and some silkie eggs for the hatch a long

YAY!!!!! what color polish and silkies?

Quote: Your very welcome, I love that thread, you should post with us, we have some yungins on there too, so I would love to keep the posts alive. the link is in my signature..."hint hint" ; ) Everyone!

Silver and I even Mailed/Gifted a used Bator to a young girl, along with some new hygro's and thermometers, SHE WAS ESTHATIC to say the least!! Nothing makes me feel better than making a kid smile!! She is sweetness! She drew me pencil drawings, did u see them on the thread? I had scanned them to show everyone.... That made it all worth it and being able to talk to her and her dad was cool! They were both EXTREMELY Greatful, so cool!!!

It has been a great learning experience with shipped eggs, I have come to the conclusion that its a Main USPS warehouse thI at has been doing our eggs so wrong, probably sorters obviously. I sooooo wish I could rig a cam in a box to see EXACTLY where and who is doing the kicking and shaking!

What color Orphs will be hatching??

Hi all. I am joining in. I tried to resist, as I am sure I will regret this in Feb. (It will be way too cold yet outside even for feathered chicks, so they will be in my basement... I might have to make room in the garage if it gets too crazy.)

Oh well, it should be fun. This will also be my very first time hatching, so wish me luck!

I will be putting in some Silkies I won on ebay (shipped today) and some mixed breed eggs I am going to go pick up on Sat.

good luck with them! What kinda silkies? we have whites and splash!

looks like im joining in on the hatch

Thankfully my dad supports me and my crazy chicken lady-ness, since it makes my son and nephew happy to play with them.

im just now starting to get eggs outta my girls and im not sure if my roo is doing his job or not. im gona try and get some eggs from some friends for hatching.

Thats awesome he supports you, I love cazy chicken people!! My facebook friends just DO NOT understand....