Breeding Project Spring 2014

[luvmypets]

#Chicken nerd all the way

 

[luvmypets]

And I'm proud of it

 

[TeaChick]

Well I'm building it out of an old lab oven. Just gotta get my thermostat, fan and thermometer/hygrometers in it and it should be good to go.

Would love a GQF Sportsman 1502 but can't afford one.. Go figure.

Oh, that sounds like a good idea! =)

I can't afford an incubator either. I'm borrowing one.
Can you get one on Craigslist or Freecycle or on here?
Maybe it's better to just build it yourself.

 

[handyman42]

Oh, that sounds like a good idea! =)

I can't afford an incubator either. I'm borrowing one.
Can you get one on Craigslist or Freecycle or on here?
Maybe it's better to just build it yourself.

I've seen them on Craigslist before and I"m sure that you could find one around on BYC. Only problem is even used they typically run between $350 and $400 which is still kinda steep for me. I told my wife once we pay off some debt and have some extra cash to blow I'm buying one because it'll make hatching SO much easier and more reliable. But until then.. I dream. lol

 

[TeaChick]

I've seen them on Craigslist before and I"m sure that you could find one around on BYC. Only problem is even used they typically run between $350 and $400 which is still kinda steep for me. I told my wife once we pay off some debt and have some extra cash to blow I'm buying one because it'll make hatching SO much easier and more reliable. But until then.. I dream. lol

We're thankful to have someone loan me one; my DH would make me wait until spring to see if my Bantam Cochin goes broody (which is like waiting for the sun to rise or set. lol) But spending that much to hatch out chicks, I couldn't do either.

What breeds do you have? Is it possible that any of them might go broody?

ETA: Yeah, if I were you, I'd try the buy, sell, trade forum. There are people who need to get rid of one to get a new one or people who are willing to give away one that someone could repair but they may not have the necessary skills to repair it themselves. There are other reason someone might be willing to part with one for not-very-much-money. KWIM?

 

[TeaChick]

And I'm proud of it

TOTALLY!!!!

 

[handyman42]

We're thankful to have someone loan me one; my DH would make me wait until spring to see if my Bantam Cochin goes broody (which is like waiting for the sun to rise or set. lol) But spending that much to hatch out chicks, I couldn't do either.

What breeds do you have? Is it possible that any of them might go broody?

ETA: Yeah, if I were you, I'd try the buy, sell, trade forum. There are people who need to get rid of one to get a new one or people who are willing to give away one that someone could repair but they may not have the necessary skills to repair it themselves. There are other reason someone might be willing to part with one for not-very-much-money. KWIM?

Well if I spent the money on a Sportsman I'd definitely be selling everything I could; Fertile Eggs (when I had some leftovers), Chicks, Unwanted roosters and even point of lay pullets and laying hens to try to pay for the darn thing but I think it'd be worth it having the peace of mind that you can pretty much count on 90% of all fertile eggs hatching from one. Right now my homemade bator ain't even up and running so I have NO CLUE how it'll work or what the hatch ratio will be or anything like that. So I'm a tad nervous to see, but I've got a good design and set up so I'm hoping it'll be alright.

As far as breed I have Buff Orpingtons so they are known to go broody but I haven't had any go FULL broody on me yet. One of my girls did try to take my hand off for a day or so but by day 3 she was bored with it and got up and left. Oh well.

And as far as looking for one that needed some work that's a great idea. And one I amazingly hadn't thought about myself. I'm a maintenance guy (hints the username) at an electronics company so I'm always working on little stuff that can't be too terribly different then an incubator. I'll have to try and find one that needs some work that I could get my hands on.

Thanks for the great Idea!!

 

[TeaChick]

Well if I spent the money on a Sportsman I'd definitely be selling everything I could; Fertile Eggs (when I had some leftovers), Chicks, Unwanted roosters and even point of lay pullets and laying hens to try to pay for the darn thing but I think it'd be worth it having the peace of mind that you can pretty much count on 90% of all fertile eggs hatching from one. Right now my homemade bator ain't even up and running so I have NO CLUE how it'll work or what the hatch ratio will be or anything like that. So I'm a tad nervous to see, but I've got a good design and set up so I'm hoping it'll be alright.

As far as breed I have Buff Orpingtons so they are known to go broody but I haven't had any go FULL broody on me yet. One of my girls did try to take my hand off for a day or so but by day 3 she was bored with it and got up and left. Oh well.

And as far as looking for one that needed some work that's a great idea. And one I amazingly hadn't thought about myself. I'm a maintenance guy (hints the username) at an electronics company so I'm always working on little stuff that can't be too terribly different then an incubator. I'll have to try and find one that needs some work that I could get my hands on.

Thanks for the great Idea!!

Yeah, selling your shirt to get an incubator isn't a good idea. ;-) lol
I've been told that hatch rate for a beginner is usually about 30%. There are things that need to be tinkered with in order for anyone to get up to a 90% hatch rate.
I'm sure your design is a great one. Also, you might think about checking out forums and articles on here; I know that being new to chickens, I had a lot of misconceptions about them and keeping them and there are a lot of things I've learned the hard way, so I always try to check with an expert (or a bunch of experts lol) and read at least one article and maybe a few related ones as well.

Oh, I so like the look of the Buff Orpintons!!! They're beautiful, fluffy, mother hen looking birds!

Oh, no, a 3 day broody. lol None of mine have gone broody, but one gave me a warning peck when I thought I'd reach under her to collect eggs one day. She had been sitting there for about an hour!!!

I had no idea it takes so long to lay an egg. lol

 

[handyman42]

Yeah, selling your shirt to get an incubator isn't a good idea. ;-) lol
I've been told that hatch rate for a beginner is usually about 30%. There are things that need to be tinkered with in order for anyone to get up to a 90% hatch rate.
I'm sure your design is a great one. Also, you might think about checking out forums and articles on here; I know that being new to chickens, I had a lot of misconceptions about them and keeping them and there are a lot of things I've learned the hard way, so I always try to check with an expert (or a bunch of experts lol) and read at least one article and maybe a few related ones as well.

Oh, I so like the look of the Buff Orpintons!!! They're beautiful, fluffy, mother hen looking birds!

Oh, no, a 3 day broody. lol None of mine have gone broody, but one gave me a warning peck when I thought I'd reach under her to collect eggs one day. She had been sitting there for about an hour!!!

I had no idea it takes so long to lay an egg. lol

I was talking about a GQF Sportsman there. I have a friend who I talk to about chicken stuff and he gets a pretty consistent 88% - 90%.

I've been reading and will continue to read articles on here, for the simple fact that most of these folks should be granted the title DR. in front of their name just because of the years of experience and knowledge they have of the real world. I have the utmost respect of alot of the guys, and gals, on BYC. Love this place.

Yea, sometimes I'll go out to feed in the morning and their 2 favorite nest boxes will be occupied and there will be a hen or 2 standing in line waiting to lay. It's funny how they get so set on laying in one spot. I have 7 nest boxes in my coop and they'll all share 3. 2 of which are about 4 ft in the air up on the hay loft I build in the coop. Go Figure.

 

[TeaChick]

I was talking about a GQF Sportsman there. I have a friend who I talk to about chicken stuff and he gets a pretty consistent 88% - 90%.

I've been reading and will continue to read articles on here, for the simple fact that most of these folks should be granted the title DR. in front of their name just because of the years of experience and knowledge they have of the real world. I have the utmost respect of alot of the guys, and gals, on BYC. Love this place.

Yea, sometimes I'll go out to feed in the morning and their 2 favorite nest boxes will be occupied and there will be a hen or 2 standing in line waiting to lay. It's funny how they get so set on laying in one spot. I have 7 nest boxes in my coop and they'll all share 3. 2 of which are about 4 ft in the air up on the hay loft I build in the coop. Go Figure.

I may be mistaken about the hatch rate thing. =)

I agree; this is a great place to learn a lot about chickens (and more). ;-)

I have a bi-level nesting corner, which is actually large enough that I could put two nesting boxes on each level, but I don't have boxes yet, so basically I have two. I finished it a little more than a month ago; I've gotten two white eggs in the top level and they were separated by weeks, and the second time I got a white egg in there, there were also two brown eggs, so.... Yeah, go figure, I get five plus eggs in the bottom. lol