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

[ChickenCanoe]

That's usually true. It's more about how broke I am at the moment.
I love doing hatch-a-longs with all of you! The only down side... The chick I hatched out last year, still isn't laying! I hatched a GCM, Her's are the eggs I was really hoping to set, but no such luck. She has a nice red comb, good sz, and 8 months old!

Give her a little extra light to extend the day.

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

I keep my incubators in the basement so I don't keep watching them and the wife doesn't know what's going on in the chicken world.

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]
Either a broody hen or an Ohio hover brooder.



Outside of unheated building with the tree the storm brought down blocking the doorway.



Inside of the building with 2 homemade hover brooders cooking.

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.

What would we do without the USPS though, drive the eggs across the country?

I'm curious how much others are paying so ship eggs.
I've been shipping for quite a while and it seems like the price changes.
I can ship a large priority flat rate box for $18. However, if you mark the box fragile, they now want an additional $10.++.
I marked a box as having live embryos, per customer request and they wanted $36 to ship them which I talked my way out of.

 

[chicknlove]

I just candled my Ancona eggs that are now on day 21...they are both rocking and rolling in there!!! Yay!!! The death of my old bator didn't hurt them! Actually, I don't know if it's actually dead...I was too mad at it for almost ruining my eggs that I haven't turned it back on... Lol! I set my call eggs and some more Anconas a couple of days back and forgot to tell you guys...oops! I have goose eggs that should be arriving today and I am so excited!

Sounds like there are no dull moments at your place! Good Luck! Don't forget the pictures!

 

[TheGonzo]

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.

Well you convinced me @vehve and @Sally Sunshine

I just picked up 20 black copper marans from the lokal egg pusher. They'll go in the incubator tomorrow, when it's ready

 

[ronott1]

Give her a little extra light to extend the day.

I keep my incubators in the basement so I don't keep watching them and the wife doesn't know what's going on in the chicken world.

Either a broody hen or an Ohio hover brooder.



Outside of unheated building with the tree the storm brought down blocking the doorway.



Inside of the building with 2 homemade hover brooders cooking.



What would we do without the USPS though, drive the eggs across the country?

I'm curious how much others are paying so ship eggs.
I've been shipping for quite a while and it seems like the price changes.
I can ship a large priority flat rate box for $18. However, if you mark the box fragile, they now want an additional $10.++.
I marked a box as having live embryos, per customer request and they wanted $36 to ship them which I talked my way out of.

I use the online form and then drop the eggs off in a self service kiosk on Sunday.

Never see a postal worker and there is a discount that way.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Well you convinced me @vehve and @Sally Sunshine

I just picked up 20 black copper marans from the lokal egg pusher. They'll go in the incubator tomorrow, when it's ready

Good news!!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

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.

BEAUTIES!!!! dang Hawk!!

Alright! My eggs are in the 'bator!!!

ITS ABOUT TIME!!!!!

I don't think I can handle all this silkieness .. I am going to have to hatch some out SOON!

Some of my babies from my 2013 hatch

fluffernutters!!!!

Oh baby calls, this I CAN'T WAIT to see!!

that image just aint right.... just aint right

I just candled my Ancona eggs that are now on day 21...they are both rocking and rolling in there!!! Yay!!! The death of my old bator didn't hurt them! Actually, I don't know if it's actually dead...I was too mad at it for almost ruining my eggs that I haven't turned it back on... Lol! I set my call eggs and some more Anconas a couple of days back and forgot to tell you guys...oops! I have goose eggs that should be arriving today and I am so excited!

THEY ARE COMIN!!!! COME ON CHICKIES!!! I am waiting for them too lilness!!!

 

[KYTinpusher]

Either a broody hen or an Ohio hover brooder.
Inside of the building with 2 homemade hover brooders cooking.



I'm curious how much others are paying so ship eggs.
I've been shipping for quite a while and it seems like the price changes.
I can ship a large priority flat rate box for $18. However, if you mark the box fragile, they now want an additional $10.++.
I marked a box as having live embryos, per customer request and they wanted $36 to ship them which I talked my way out of.

Tell us more about your hover brooders, please! I am getting ready to remodel the inside of my big coop and looking for ideas. This looks interesting.

I just don't mark my boxes anymore unless specifically requested by the customer. "Fragile" means nothing to USPS anymore. I just pack them well and hope for the best. If you are going to pay the extra $10+ for marking the box "fragile", I think you are better off just leaving it unmarked and sending express. I have had much better results with express shipping than with priority shipping.

 

[Cynthia12]

I have some fertile eggs so I guess I'll set some today. That means I'm in.

There are eggs with 2 different due dates already in the incubator. Some due Christmas morning and 2 due on the 20th - I think.

Hi CC!

Different due dates, we tend to see that around here.

 

[Cynthia12]

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.

Hi ve! Did I miss something, are you hatching along with us??

 

[Cynthia12]