Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[3riverschick]

As novices, "How many chicks do we really need to hatch?"

Everyone talks about these Genesis incubators and such. As a novice, how many chicks does one want to handle the first year? I was all hot to hatch 100 or so. Walt and I talked about it and he said, just hatch 36. He sad that's plenty for the first year. Gives you a nice number to select from. Plus a small enough number one can watch each one develop individually. I have 2 of the 7 egg Brinsea Mini Advance incubators . Bought them one at a time on sale for about 120. each. Easy to use and very forgiving of novice mistakes. See-thru dome and no need to use a hatcher, plus auto-turn. Historically, Sussex hatching season is limited to Jan. thru end of March so the birds grow up to be excellent winter layers. So I can hatch 3 settings of 14 eggs each. Easy to mark, easy to move thru brooder to intermediate, thru grow-out pens at 3 week intervals.
Next year, I can add another Mini Advance and hatch more as I get more experience.
Karen

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Yes, you say, but that's more ($220.00) than the cost of a Genesis @ 189.99. Maybe, but how long does one want to hold eggs before they incubate them? If one is starting with a trio or a quad, one only needs to hold the eggs on a turner for 3-4 days before starting the Brinsea. Plus, one is having the chicks hatch out in easily managed numbers. Yes, one could use a Genesis and keep opening it to add in eggs. But then one has the added expense of hatcher... or has eggs in the incubator hatching out at all different times.
Karen

 

[gjensen]

I wish I had heard and listened to that advice starting out. It doesn't take a 100 birds to learn what you have, and you want to enjoy the birds.

Have the incubator that you want, and enjoy your birds.

I am debating how many of my Catalanas I want to or can grow out this year. I am wondering if it will not require some numbers with these starting out. Part of me says to start slow, and the devil in the cabinet incubator says to hatch all I can.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I wish I had heard and listened to that advice starting out. It doesn't take a 100 birds to learn what you have, and you want to enjoy the birds.

Have the incubator that you want, and enjoy your birds.

I am debating how many of my Catalanas I want to or can grow out this year. I am wondering if it will not require some numbers with these starting out. Part of me says to start slow, and the devil in the cabinet incubator says to hatch all I can.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I can't hardly get a thing to hatch in my cabinet. I don't know why?! It's as though once I put them into the hatcher, they all die? So, this last time, I just put a pillow in the bottom and let them fall a foot onto it.

 

[kathyinmo]

New Years Resolution...

Eat more eggs, hatch less.

 

[gjensen]

New Years Resolution...

Eat more eggs, hatch less.

I do not think I have ever kept a New Year's Resolution. I fixed that problem by not making anymore.

 

[Chris Herzog]

New Years Resolution...

Eat more eggs, hatch less.

LOL, to funny!!!

Chris

 

[OSUman]

That must be a lot of eggs to eat.....

New Years Resolution...

Eat more eggs, hatch less.

 

[Chris09]

I can't hardly get a thing to hatch in my cabinet. I don't know why?! It's as though once I put them into the hatcher, they all die? So, this last time, I just put a pillow in the bottom and let them fall a foot onto it.

When was the last time your cabinet disinfectant?
I had a buddy that had this same problem until he disinfected it.

Chris

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I wish I had heard and listened to that advice starting out. It doesn't take a 100 birds to learn what you have, and you want to enjoy the birds.

Have the incubator that you want, and enjoy your birds.

I am debating how many of my Catalanas I want to or can grow out this year. I am wondering if it will not require some numbers with these starting out. Part of me says to start slow, and the devil in the cabinet incubator says to hatch all I can.

I say hatch them all