August Hatch-A-Long

[calichicken]

I also ordered another thermostat the other day so I can get my hatcher set up... so I can hatch eggs all the time! Don't tell anyone though, my friends and fam think I've gone egg crazy ; ) Good thing I have all of you!

LOL....yep you are hooked for sure

But rest assured nobody on this forum will ever discourage your egg crazy hatching habit

As a matter of fact, you can count on us to feed and nurture it until your friends and family are SURE you have gone egg crazy..LOL

 

[FarmgateTx]

My daughter (4 lots down the street) had about 25 hens of various breeds and had started a co-op to peddle the eggs. She told me that she could not keep up with the demand and asked me to get some chickens to help her out. She said that she could sell all that I could come up with. So in Feb of this year, I bought into her plan and I mean really bought into her plan. I ordered 400 day old chicks. Since then, I sold off a bout 125, had dead losses and predator kills. My wife really got into it and has decided to hatch her own pure breeds. So I bought her a sportsman 1510. She should have her first hatching on Aug, 8. Only 12 eggs to start with just to make sure her system if working properly.

 

[KendyF]

Aug hatch update: I got a new thermometer. I found out that my eggs have been on the hot side, and temp is not equal in the incubator. I have some development, and one egg from a corner spot with movement, but it is all quite questionable at this time. I am not the best at candling, so going to give them some more time. And hope a few places in the incubator haven't been too hot. Darn. I have staggered eggs, the first were set on the 27th.

 

[Iko127]

I sure love reading all the posts! It makes me not feel so crazy...lol My eggs aren't do to hatch till the 14th and 16th and already looking at more eggs

Good thing I have to wait a little longer and I'm poor! I would be in big trouble if my husband liked the chickens, as is he really dislikes them

. Good luck to all with continued progress

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My daughter (4 lots down the street) had about 25 hens of various breeds and had started a co-op to peddle the eggs. She told me that she could not keep up with the demand and asked me to get some chickens to help her out. She said that she could sell all that I could come up with. So in Feb of this year, I bought into her plan and I mean really bought into her plan. I ordered 400 day old chicks. Since then, I sold off a bout 125, had dead losses and predator kills. My wife really got into it and has decided to hatch her own pure breeds. So I bought her a sportsman 1510. She should have her first hatching on Aug, 8. Only 12 eggs to start with just to make sure her system if working properly.

You guys are a family of enablers.

Aug hatch update: I got a new thermometer. I found out that my eggs have been on the hot side, and temp is not equal in the incubator. I have some development, and one egg from a corner spot with movement, but it is all quite questionable at this time. I am not the best at candling, so going to give them some more time. And hope a few places in the incubator haven't been too hot. Darn. I have staggered eggs, the first were set on the 27th.

I hated thermometers till I lucked out and found two that are extremely accurate. The first one I got was a Brinsea spot check which I didn't trust because it didn't agree with any of the others. Turns out it was the only accurate one which I found out when I bought a Thermoworks instant read that's accurate to within 0.7F and can be calibrated. Now I'm having more success but I have to replace my controllers which tend to wander.

I sure love reading all the posts! It makes me not feel so crazy...lol My eggs aren't do to hatch till the 14th and 16th and already looking at more eggs

Good thing I have to wait a little longer and I'm poor! I would be in big trouble if my husband liked the chickens, as is he really dislikes them

. Good luck to all with continued progress

I would talk chickens 24/7 to anyone that would listen. My wife finally told me she didn't want to hear anything else about chickens.

Luckily I'm a co-organizer of a 600 member chicken meetup group. I also teach about 3 chicken classes each semester at area community colleges.

 

[jaymeellis06]

Im officially on hatch watch with my remaining seven eggs. Lots of rocking going on in the bator. One is due today, three due tomorrow, and three due saturday!

 

[COsteveo]

Found the rotten egg pretty easily last night - it had a big crack in it. It was stuck in the turner rail and so was the egg next to it. I'm lucky that I had enough empty space that I could move the rest of the eggs to other rails and then take that rail out.

Had an issue with my DIY incubator overnight - the light bulb fixture fell out of the holder and it burned through the stryofoam and melted some carpet. There was an acrid smell in the room this morning. I hope the eggs will be OK. I opened the windows for ventilation. It might be time to retire that thing now that I have a real incubator.

 

[justoldbobo2]

Cute.  what breed and what color will those be when they grow out?  I just hatched 2 banty cochin mixes that look just like that.  I am curious on the color.

Black copper marans

 

[FarmgateTx]

Quote: We now have all of my daughter's chickens since we have a secure roost. My 10 year old granddaughter comes and works several times during the week while we are out. She gets the money from her chicken eggs in lue of helping. So we are three generations working the chickens. I had forgot to mention that we have also replaced all the sold/dead loss/predator chicks and are back over 400 with about 200 of them at the laying age (not all are laying yet) and the others coming up on it. We are getting about 80 eggs a day, so it really helps when they come down to gather eggs.



We had our first chick ever hatch today. Four more are close to breaking through.

 

[Iko127]

We now have all of my daughter's chickens since we have a secure roost. My 10 year old granddaughter comes and works several times during the week while we are out. She gets the money from her chicken eggs in lue of helping. So we are three generations working the chickens. I had forgot to mention that we have also replaced all the sold/dead loss/predator chicks and are back over 400 with about 200 of them at the laying age (not all are laying yet) and the others coming up on it. We are getting about 80 eggs a day, so it really helps when they come down to gather eggs.



We had our first chick ever hatch today. Four more are close to breaking through.

Congrats on your chick!!! What breeds to you have?