7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

[Aprildeesunshin]

you betcha! instead of watching and waiting all summer for eggs!
[/quote]

I had some chicks last Christmas, they did just fine out in the coop all winter, and our last years winter is probably about as bad as you guys would ever get there. Hatching around Xmas means you'll get nice and early layers in the spring or early summer.

So, how do you do this without them freezing? I live in central NH.

 

[Pensmaster]

Thank you. I'm not a night owl and I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I've waited for the new year but, this hatch will do it. Sounds like fun hope everyone gets a great hatch!!!

 

[vehve]

Quote: Or until next Christmas... We hatched three pullets around Easter, one started laying at around 18 weeks, but the two others only just now started laying this weekend. Worth the wait though...

The ones on the right are from the new layers (hatched from the olive layer's eggs). The first layer of the three is in a hawk attack induced molt at the moment, but she lays light pink eggs.

 

[vehve]

So, how do you do this without them freezing? I live in central NH.

I live in Finland, but the southern parts. And we had one of the mildest winters in a long time. The coldest we got was around -20C. Lost the sole female chick of the batch then, but she was suicidal. Squeezed through a crack and couldn't get back to mommy, and by the time we found her, she was so cold that we couldn't bring her back. But my point is, mama hen is pretty good at keeping her little ones warm. Of course, it requires a broody.

 

[rossfam06]

So I am going to the post office to pick up my eggs today!!!! I hate USPS. So I will not be setting until around midnight tonight if the eggs made it.

 

[Pensmaster]

Newbie here on posting. Did not realize I had to quote to responde to you. Thank you for the welcome. This will be fun!!!

 

[ronott1]

Calls are developing and got Ohiki ready to set tomorrow... all is good...

Nice eggs to set!

I SET MY EGGS!!!

Set all the eggs!

So, last night, we're getting ready to go to bed and I'm sitting there, thinking about blocking the light on the incubator so it doesn't bother my husband (light at night bugs him) but I decided that it's not bright enough to be a bother. He sees me looking and asks what I'm doing so I told him.

DH: well, why is the light on?
Me: because, it has to warm up.
DH: why does it have to warm up?
Me: because tomorrow is set date for the new years hatch a long *evil grin*

I "forgot" to tell him that I was setting it up and starting hatching season early lol. Glad he loves me and I can get away with this stuff

he's going to be surprised though. He loves cochins and we don't have any so I'm ordering some hatching eggs (and some silkies for the kids) and since he never knows or cares what's in the bator, I'll get to surprise him when they hatch

Good Job!

 

[LocalYokel]

 

[canadachickens]

you betcha! instead of watching and waiting all summer for eggs!

So, how do you do this without them freezing? I live in central NH.[/QUOTE]
We have temps in the minus 20-30 C over the winter here as well. My crew usually end up laying in one or two nesting boxes during cold weather like that, and the last one usually sits tight and keeps them warm until I am able to collect. rarely have frozen eggs, they are sometimes really cool, but not frozen. I have hatched from these last year with good success.

 

[canadachickens]

The silkie eggs I am setting later today have been collected during periods where we have had night time lows of -5 to 0 F and daytime highs well below 32 F most days. I am hopeful they are just as hardy as their larger cousins I have hatched in the past.