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

[Canieldonrad]

I hope you are getting your hatchers ready. I scrubbed and disinfected mine, got the humidity as well as temperature to optimal levels. Have about 60 eggs going in this coming weekend.

Tuesday I'll likely begin preparing brooders .

 

[bantambury]

Sand should be fine for them if its clean. Can use as grit i would still do paper towls for a day or two till they lean what is food.

I only put a boarder around the bottom about 6 inches or so. Also i tried to have the door by edge of table so cat couldnt stand on anything to get paws in. I used a heat lamp angled through front door. This was a plastic pet port with wire front door. My cat one i cut top off and made a lid of 2x2s and hardware cloth.

ok! thanks for the help!

Okay, since we are talking brooder's I have to show mine off.The original idea was to build a simple box. This is in my computer room on an island we got as a tear out from a job DH was working on (the storage under is great). The lid is just screened and hinged. He built a removable divider because with different age groups it can be necessary. But, my favorite feature is the plexiglass viewing window. I pull up a chair and sit sipping coffee watching chicks in the morning....very peaceful. I love that we painted it so it wasn't an eyesore, as it is a permanent fixture in our house (I swear I'm not a hatching addict

). Drawback: My computer room does get mighty dusty.

I WANT THIS!!!! this is awesome!

 

[bantambury]

I hope you are getting your hatchers ready. I scrubbed and disinfected mine, got the humidity as well as temperature to optimal levels. Have about 60 eggs going in this coming weekend.

Tuesday I'll likely begin preparing brooders .

incubators can be used as hatchers....correct? I hope because I don't have a hatcher!

A divider? Awesome idea! I will have to steal that idea.

yep! separated the different chick breeds, or the sick from healthy ones! perfect!

 

[EggieRowe]

they got bored waiting for the eggs to hatch lol I'm extremely concerned about the first two or more weeks brooding in the house with 4 cats :/ one having already got to one of our parakeets... any suggestions on keeping cats away? I was thinking a Rubbermaid box that I can clamp the top on but then cut out holes and replace with hardware cloth

I built my brooder from a large tote - about 3 ft by 2 ft. I don't have a picture of it right now, but its the type with the latches in the handles to hold the lid on. I cut the indented lid of the tote out, drilled tiny holes around the hole, and zip tied hardware cloth to it. Keeps my 30 lb mutt from prying off the lid and playing wack-a-mole with my chicks. Caught her on it once and it didn't fall in.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Question: My incubator (old as dirt) has a metal screen insert...the eggs roll around and don't like to stay put...taking extra time for me to get them in the right position when I turn, which is 5 times a day.

Would it be ok if I put paper towel or a washcloth or something in there on top of the metal, then put the eggs on top of the washcloth/paper towel so they sit still better?

Also, I saw a couple posts about putting the eggs fat end up in egg cartons at lockdown to cut down on the mess that comes along with hatching. Is this a good idea to do? How much mess does hatching chicks make in an incubator?

Finally, I also read that it's ok to keep the first hatched chicks in the bator while the rest are hatching...but no longer than three days because of the yolk. My incubator has a disc that is hot as crap, as well as the metal rods that come out of it. Won't the baby chicks burn their heads on it if they jump????

 

[abmaddox1981]

Lol same here. Im 32 and my 3kids think sometimes think Im nuts they say I love my chickens TOO much. They are on board though and they help enable me and I can say to DH aw come on  they are for DD not me lol. My oldest is 11 and she is now in love with Silkies that is what we are hatching now, they are for her to start her own flock. My 7yr old loves the farm animals she snuggles the crap out of them but doesn't tend to them much and my 6yr old is my little farmer buddy she wants more animals she helps feed and water them, her New Years wish is to have a bigger farm. She wants cows(thanks DH for putting it in her head) We might need some more land we are running out of room.

My dd is 11 also and she's my biggest enabler! She and DH took some of my silkies to the auction and he said they were not getting any animals. Ha! DD saw some gold laced Brahma x Columbian pullets, needless to say they are currently hanging out in the coop!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I hope you are getting your hatchers ready.  I scrubbed and disinfected mine, got the humidity as well as temperature to optimal levels.  Have about 60 eggs going in this coming weekend.

Tuesday I'll likely begin preparing brooders .

My hatcher is ready and waiting! We did that today, been holding steady at 100 since early afternoon. I lock down on Tuesday.

 

[JLaw]

Speaking of hatchers i cant deside if i want to build one or buy a still air bator and add a fan. I had mo luvk on craigs list today for a cheap one.

Figure build one could save about 20 i guessbut no warenty.hmmm

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Question: My incubator (old as dirt) has a metal screen insert...the eggs roll around and don't like to stay put...taking extra time for me to get them in the right position when I turn, which is 5 times a day.

Would it be ok if I put paper towel or a washcloth or something in there on top of the metal, then put the eggs on top of the washcloth/paper towel so they sit still better?

Also, I saw a couple posts about putting the eggs fat end up in egg cartons at lockdown to cut down on the mess that comes along with hatching. Is this a good idea to do? How much mess does hatching chicks make in an incubator?

Finally, I also read that it's ok to keep the first hatched chicks in the bator while the rest are hatching...but no longer than three days because of the yolk. My incubator has a disc that is hot as crap, as well as the metal rods that come out of it. Won't the baby chicks burn their heads on it if they jump????

A paper towel may wick moisture. I use a spongy kind of liner in the hatcher for traction when the chicks hatch, I guess you could use that now, except it's hard to see the water channels when you have the liner down.

Yes, the coil gets hot, I've seen day old ducks hit their heads on the coils, with no reaction that I saw....although it HAD to hurt.

Bantambury, I use an extra incubator as a hatcher so that I can do staggered hatches.

 

[Whoops]

I don't have a separate hatcher. My plan is that they hatch in the brinsea, then go to the brooder when fluffy. Does a hatcher help? Or is it more for when you have staged hatchings?

Assuming I get any chicks. Blasted dark uncandleable eggs.