December Hatch-A-Long 2014

[Renee572]

I pulled the top tray out the hatcher this morning------38 yellow buff orp eggs were in the tray----there were 38 yellow buff chicks looking at me----a pretty site.

Tray 2 had some barred rock and a few speckled sussex, tray 3 had a few silkie's and some gold laced wyndottes. Lots of chicks went into the brooder!

Awesome. Sounds like you know what you are doing!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Awesome. Sounds like you know what you are doing!

Thanks!! I just leave them alone and let them hatch!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Congrats! What type of brooder setup do you have? I hope I wake up Tuesday to a bunch of eye balls staring at me too!

I have 30 different brooders----10 heated. These went into a factory made brooder that is designed for 100 chicks. At this time I do have chicks in 6 more brooders, some of these brooders are as simple as a big plastic tote with a light hanging in it towards one end..

 

[ochochicas]

Quote: Where do you keep all those brooders and chicks until they are big enough to go outside during the winter? I thought I was in over my head with 20 chicks (and then our power went out just to throw another wrench in things).

We have plastic totes and brooder tank with a heat lamp, but they are in the house since it is too cold for them in the shop. Do you have a big barn or something? How much time does it take you everyday to care for that many birds?

 

[mistyhollow]

I candled some eggs today in my third incubator. Was looking for my usual marked eggs but these had U's on them. Threw me for a minute until I realized that these were eggs that a friend had saved for me with the large end on the bottom so I had called them upside down eggs! I was experimenting with them. Set them back with the large end on the top in the incubator. Has anyone else had any luck with eggs that were stored with the little side up?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Where do you keep all those brooders and chicks until they are big enough to go outside during the winter? I thought I was in over my head with 20 chicks (and then our power went out just to throw another wrench in things).

We have plastic totes and brooder tank with a heat lamp, but they are in the house since it is too cold for them in the shop. Do you have a big barn or something? How much time does it take you everyday to care for that many birds?

Keep in Mind I sell chicks small scale. I might have 200 chicks today and 50 tomorrow, then I might not sell any for a few days----you never know. I keep 2 factory brooders in one of my buildings. Each week I hatch a new Batch of chicks----one of the factory brooders is throughly cleaned for the new Hatch. The 2 week old chicks are moved out the factory brooder to inside a old converted school bus. This bus has 8 more heated brooders(totes/cages with heat lights) BUT----BUT I rarely have more than a few going because I usually have sold all the chicks that I am NOT keeping. It also has alot more cages in racks 3 cages high with drop pans--I think there is 16 rack/hanging cages in the bus with Room for more if I want to add(Probably not but You Never Know---LOL).

The chicks stay in the bus till they are taken off the heat lamp, moved to unheated cages inside the bus then they are moved to outside chick pens. By this time I am usually down to a few of the breed I am wanting to keep because by this time I can tell the roosters and most all of them are sold. These are them moved to the back of the farm to where the 57 chicken pens/yards(at this time) are to a new pen/yard that is waiting for this new breed.

As far as feeding---probably 30 minutes to a hour per day---according to what I got to do. BUT Just for Info I only had 30 to 40 chikens and 2/3 pens/yards about 1 1/2 years ago. So I have spent ALOT of time in the last year setting up new pens----each with a coop, water, shade for summer etc. At this time I have about 500 chickens/chicks and Just for more Info I buy 1000lb of feed every 2 weeks from my local Tractor supply and a ton of whole corn about every 6 to 8 weeks that I grind and Mix in supplement that is mixed with the factory feed. Hauling, grinding feed etc IS NOT included in the 30min/hour per day time---LOL. I am B U S Y with my chickens!!!

 

[Purpletie3]

Keep in Mind I sell chicks small scale. I might have 200 chicks today and 50 tomorrow, then I might not sell any for a few days----you never know. I keep 2 factory brooders in one of my buildings. Each week I hatch a new Batch of chicks----one of the factory brooders is throughly cleaned for the new Hatch. The 2 week old chicks are moved out the factory brooder to inside a old converted school bus. This bus has 8 more heated brooders(totes/cages with heat lights) BUT----BUT I rarely have more than a few going because I usually have sold all the chicks that I am NOT keeping. It also has alot more cages in racks 3 cages high with drop pans--I think there is 16 rack/hanging cages in the bus with Room for more if I want to add(Probably not but You Never Know---LOL).

The chicks stay in the bus till they are taken off the heat lamp, moved to unheated cages inside the bus then they are moved to outside chick pens. By this time I am usually down to a few of the breed I am wanting to keep because by this time I can tell the roosters and most all of them are sold. These are them moved to the back of the farm to where the 57 chicken pens/yards(at this time) are to a new pen/yard that is waiting for this new breed.

As far as feeding---probably 30 minutes to a hour per day---according to what I got to do. BUT Just for Info I only had 30 to 40 chikens and 2/3 pens/yards about 1 1/2 years ago. So I have spent ALOT of time in the last year setting up new pens----each with a coop, water, shade for summer etc. At this time I have about 500 chickens/chicks and Just for more Info I buy 1000lb of feed every 2 weeks from my local Tractor supply and a ton of whole corn about every 6 to 8 weeks that I grind and Mix in supplement that is mixed with the factory feed. Hauling, grinding feed etc IS NOT included in the 30min/hour per day time---LOL. I am B    U     S    Y with my chickens!!!

Thanks, sounds like you are super busy! I am looking for an alternate brooder system for mine. I have two hatches right now and expect two more this week. One has 3 chicks, one 5, and two juveniles in the hen house and an injured juvenile in a dog crate. I was trying to figure out one brooder system that would work for the chicks til they feather. I have a small farm. Huge drafty barn with no electricity or power. Right now all my chicks are on my dining room table in a wooden box or fish tank. Lol

 

[ArekE]

Its day 20 and one of my 5 eggs has pipped and is peeping alot. Hopefully he or she will hatch later today.

 

[Renee572]

Its day 20 and one of my 5 eggs has pipped and is peeping alot. Hopefully he or she will hatch later today.

can't wait to see pics.

I woke up to my incubator at 102! Eek. I hope it wasn't at 102 for long and I hope my babies are all ok since we are so close. It's a still air so I'm hoping 102 is fine for a bit. Can't wait for lockdown Wednesday. Until then I've got things to keep me busy getting ready for my last final in microbiology, christmas stuff, and getting ready for our traveling for christmas!

 

[Pennychickens1]

Did it hatch?