buying a used bator?

[abhaya]

Thanks for all the responces. I think I am just gonna save up and get a decent bator instesd of trying to make do with something.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

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Thats what I would do, its a hit and miss thing. Sometimes you'll get a great used-bator cheap, sometimes you'll get one that you spend more money buying new parts then the cost of a new one.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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Great decision!!!

 

[flgardengirl]

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That's cool how do they hatch the duck eggs? I have some duck eggs that are supposed to take 35 days will the broody chicken sit on them the whole time, I know they are used to 21 days. What about if I hatch both chicken and duck eggs together?

 

[Cowgirl71]

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That's cool how do they hatch the duck eggs? I have some duck eggs that are supposed to take 35 days will the broody chicken sit on them the whole time, I know they are used to 21 days. What about if I hatch both chicken and duck eggs together?

My hen (we later named her "Ducky") was sitting on 4 Black Swedish x Khaki Campbell eggs and 7 Buff Orpington and Buff Orp x Barred Rock eggs. While my friend was saving up duck eggs, I had the Ducky sitting on three wooden eggs. About a week later I changed out the wooden eggs for the duck eggs. Then eight days later I gave Ducky the seven chicken eggs. The duck eggs were due a day sooner than the chicken eggs. About 10 days into it Ducky broke one of the duck eggs, and the yolk and stuff was all over the other eggs in the heat of summer, and I didn't know if anything would hatch. On the morning of day 28 two ducklings hatched!!! By evening, the third duckling had hatched! Ducky took the ducklings and left the nest, so I grabbed up all of the ducklings to raise myself, and returned Ducky to her nest. The next day Ducky hatched out six chicks!!!

I'm planning to try putting some of my neighbor's Bourbon Red turkey eggs under broodies next summer, and will probably use Ducky, 'cause she's proven herself, LOL! I've heard of hens hatching guinea eggs, goose eggs, duck eggs, turkey eggs, etc.

And bantams can hatch all of these plus quail eggs.

Moral of the story is that, yes, a hen will stay on the eggs for more than 21 days. This can be an individual thing though, because I've heard of hens that will quit on day 17 or so like clock work.

Here's a pic of Ducky with her first chickies

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[abhaya]

I am gonna go with the silkiebator untill I can afford a good new one.