Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Fred's Hens]

Is my thinking right on this....

You breed (up to) 6 hens and collect the eggs for three weeks. Assuming each hen lays a minumum of 5 eggs/week, that's 30 eggs per week, total of 90 for the three weeks. While those are incubating, you collect eggs for 3 more weeks and repeat from March 1 thru May 15. MAN, that's a lot of chicks!! I've really got my work cut out for me (don't mind the work, just got to figure out how to get all the brooding pens ready)!!

Well, however you wish to calculate it, we begin on March 1. We fill our 24 egg incubator on that date. The breeding pen was established 3 weeks earlier to insure the eggs we are collecting are from only those match-ups of the pen. (sperm stays in a hen up to three weeks, remember) We don't want chicks from previous, unplanned trysts, if you know what I mean.

Last year we hatched over 100 live chicks. To be fair, we had two hens go broody, and they contributed another dozen live chicks. We also "control" what the broody hens is allowed to sit on as well. Our goal this year is well north of last year's number. The reason is the hatching of the heritage Barred Rocks we have. If we happen to get some heritage White Rocks, well ..... well...... we might hit 200 chicks this year. I dunno. A new record for us anyhow.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Collecting fertile hatching eggs.

Our system is that we never allow an egg to be any older than 5 days before it is set in the incubator or stuck under a broody. I know folks say you can go 10 days, but we just don't risk that.

 

[just me]

Appreciate the 5 day tip.

 

[kathyinmo]

I hatch every week when I am hatching. I collect for 7 days and set on Sunday or Monday. Seems to work for me.

 

[stonykill]

Collecting fertile hatching eggs.

Our system is that we never allow an egg to be any older than 5 days before it is set in the incubator or stuck under a broody. I know folks say you can go 10 days, but we just don't risk that.

I go 7 to 10 without issues and with good hatch rates. I used to be nervous until I watched broody's stash eggs for up to 21 days, then hatch most of them. I no longer worry

 

[just me]

I hatch every week when I am hatching. I collect for 7 days and set on Sunday or Monday. Seems to work for me.

SUPID NEWBIE QUESTION HERE: Can you put a new hatch in the brooder with week old chicks?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I try to hatch on Sunday-Monday, because I like to ship out on Monday-Tuesday.
Yes, you can put them together, but I don't for at least 5 days. The first 3 days the chicks are tired (hatching was alot of work and wore them out) and not eating much (they absorb the yolk for nutrition for 3 days). By day 4-5, when they are "on their feet," and eating well, they do okay with the chicks that are a week older.

That is my experience anyway.

 

[Fred's Hens]

See? Everybody's different on egg collection period. LOL That's what makes the world go 'round.

Yup, mixing birds a week apart in age has never been an issue with us, in brooding. That 2 week mark, however? Eh... it starts to go sideways.

 

[just me]

Thanks, that cuts my work back some!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

While no one mentioned it, during the 5 or 6 or 10 day collection period, we store our eggs in the basement, where it is relatively constant 58F and somewhat humid. But, I still have to go up and down the stairs three times a day and turn those eggs.

See why five days is enough for me?