5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[Blarneyeggs]

chickengirl1193, brooders can be as simple as you want - even a cardboard box, although my preference is larger plastic storage containers (washable and easy to disinfect). I line the bottom with newspaper, then a layer of shavings, then cover with paper towels (the papr towel is removed after the first few days). Before I put in shavings I put in a couple pieces of 2x4 or a half patio block for the waterer to sit on so it is less likely to tip over. Heat lamp suspended/clamped over one end. Put a thermometer under it and turn it on. Should not take more than an hour to come to temp, more like 15 minutes - should be ~95 degrees right under it. Warmer - move the lamp higher, cooler, move it lower. As long as the heat is at one end the chicks can get away from it as they need to. I put food and water about midway between warm and cool ends. Sprinkle some starter crumble on the paper towels so the chicks spot it and pick it up.




I would start looking for starter now, I always buy a 50 lb bag because I have given in to the reality that I will hatch year round. I prefer a locally ground starter, and they only grind once a year, so once they're out I have to use one of the commercial brands (Purina, Nutrena, etc.).




I pull the paper towel up once I know they are eating from the feeder. It's handy to have two brooders so you can just move the chicks from the dirty one to the clean one when necessary. When you are ready to clean, you roll the whole mess (minus chicks and whatever the waterer is sitting on) up inside the newspaper like a burrito and put in the trash bag.

Wowee, this is great advice  I like the idea of having a clean brooder to move the chicks to before cleaning their current brooder.  And I LOVE the newspaper-burrito roll-up idea!

X2 ....and markin my SPOT

 

[AK FLOCK SWAP]

Quote:
101 is a bit high..you should be able to drop it a degree with the digital button on the 1588...read you instruction again,,,It will tell you how to do it. You can do it it easy,, Peace,,,

 

[AK FLOCK SWAP]

Quote:
101 is a bit high..you should be able to drop it a degree with the digital button on the 1588...read you instruction again,,,It will tell you how to do it. You can do it it easy,, Peace,,,

 

[AK FLOCK SWAP]

Quote:

101 is a bit high..you should be able to drop it a degree with the digital button on the 1588...read you instruction again,,,It will tell you how to do it. You can do it it easy,, Peace,,,

dang it

 

[Wisher1000]

Quote:
"A" is closest......or maybe "D"!

 

[AK FLOCK SWAP]

https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=66 <<<<<< I was confused with this model which I run<<<<I would post pic but this BYC page will not show the attachment bar like above the comment section like before<> Anybody know what up with that?

 

[JLaw]

Those that are having problems posting pics you can E-mail them to me with your username at [email protected] I will post them for you I will check this a few times aday or you can send me a pm to have me check sooner. That's if its easier to mail than post here.

As for chicken brooders I've used a few things and finaly got a set up I like. They go from bator to a cat crate that I cut the lid off of and then built a lid for it. 2-3 days later or if I get too many in there the oldest goes into next step. Which is one of 4 things. I have 2 metal water troughs 2ftx4ft with lids I need to make alittle better or the 2ftx4ft wooden brooder I built. Also I've use a dog kennel where I screw a board to top of it then hang light facing the inside of front door. The cat crate gets 85watt bulb normaly good enough for temp with out cooking them. The others I use a 250 watt to start out with and then I lower the wattage down to 150watts then 95 watts to lower my temp. Only the wooded brooder has a set up where I can raise and lower the light bulbs.

cat crate light sits on lid.cardboard on lower part of door to help keep cold air out.



ATM zip tied but hindges need to secure to bins still. Made this after my last hatch have only used it as a sick bay for my prolapsed vent hen and a broken toe chick so far.


This is the wooden one that is suppose to be out in my mud room but I've yet to take it out there. 2 front doors each held in by a sliding bolt lock going into the wood. don't mind my mess here lol

 

[JLaw]

https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=66 <<<<<< I was confused with this model which I run<<< Anybody know what up with that?

It's a ~~0720 Hova-Bator Incubator with Automatic Turner almost looks just like the gen 1588

 

[Jucknath]

Those that are having problems posting pics you can E-mail them to me with your username at [email protected] I will post them for you I will check this a few times aday or you can send me a pm to have me check sooner. That's if its easier to mail than post here.

As for chicken brooders I've used a few things and finaly got a set up I like. They go from bator to a cat crate that I cut the lid off of and then built a lid for it. 2-3 days later or if I get too many in there the oldest goes into next step. Which is one of 4 things. I have 2 metal water troughs 2ftx4ft with lids I need to make alittle better or the 2ftx4ft wooden brooder I built. Also I've use a dog kennel where I screw a board to top of it then hang light facing the inside of front door. The cat crate gets 85watt bulb normaly good enough for temp with out cooking them. The others I use a 250 watt to start out with and then I lower the wattage down to 150watts then 95 watts to lower my temp. Only the wooded brooder has a set up where I can raise and lower the light bulbs.

cat crate light sits on lid.cardboard on lower part of door to help keep cold air out.



ATM zip tied but hindges need to secure to bins still. Made this after my last hatch have only used it as a sick bay for my prolapsed vent hen and a broken toe chick so far.


This is the wooden one that is suppose to be out in my mud room but I've yet to take it out there. 2 front doors each held in by a sliding bolt lock going into the wood. don't mind my mess here lol

I like all 3 of these, Especially the PVC hinge with zip ties

 

[Wisher1000]

My Brinsea is packed...would love to have that space in my bator! But buying a Brinsea 40 could have been dangerous! This would have been my husband------>

A year ago I never even thought I would have chickens...now here I am addicted! And I guess a Brinsea 40 would have given me space to pack it FULL. How do you control yourself and not pack that bator to the gills???

I see space in there for a BUNK BED!

I understand your concern about the potential for chicken population explosions, I just bought a Sportsman! Yep, 288 eggs at one time! What keeps me in check? My hens don't lay enough eggs this time of year. What happens in the spring when they are all laying like crazy? I don't know, we'll see!

chickengirl1193, brooders can be as simple as you want - even a cardboard box, although my preference is larger plastic storage containers (washable and easy to disinfect). I line the bottom with newspaper, then a layer of shavings, then cover with paper towels (the papr towel is removed after the first few days). Before I put in shavings I put in a couple pieces of 2x4 or a half patio block for the waterer to sit on so it is less likely to tip over. Heat lamp suspended/clamped over one end. Put a thermometer under it and turn it on. Should not take more than an hour to come to temp, more like 15 minutes - should be ~95 degrees right under it. Warmer - move the lamp higher, cooler, move it lower. As long as the heat is at one end the chicks can get away from it as they need to. I put food and water about midway between warm and cool ends. Sprinkle some starter crumble on the paper towels so the chicks spot it and pick it up.



I would start looking for starter now, I always buy a 50 lb bag because I have given in to the reality that I will hatch year round. I prefer a locally ground starter, and they only grind once a year, so once they're out I have to use one of the commercial brands (Purina, Nutrena, etc.).



I pull the paper towel up once I know they are eating from the feeder. It's handy to have two brooders so you can just move the chicks from the dirty one to the clean one when necessary. When you are ready to clean, you roll the whole mess (minus chicks and whatever the waterer is sitting on) up inside the newspaper like a burrito and put in the trash bag.

This is almost EXACTLY like I do it! I use long cardboard boxes so I can throw them away as necessary. I brood in the garage or workshop (no heat) so I use two clamp lights in case one bulb blows during the night, they will still have heat until I can replace the bulb. Also, I bury the 'burritos' in the flowerbeds, garden spot, or compost heap so as not to waste the fertilizer. By spring, here in the south, I can turn them in with the soil and it won't burn the seedlings. If your ground is frozen, you could put them in a bin made of wire, add, kitchen waste, and have a great start to a compost heap once thing thaw out. What with the newspaper, shavings, poop, and spilled feed, it makes wonderful soil amendments. It would make me sad to throw all that good stuff away!