Early February 2016 Hatch - Who's In?

[TurkenMomma]

TurkenMomma - I have just started incubating and have completed 2 hatches and I have a 75%+ hatch rate using a $70 plastic Chinese incubator I got off eBay. They are yellow, have an egg turner, digital humidity and temp readout, and hold 48 eggs. I put a temp probe in almost every egg holder and found that there are about 10 or so places where the temp varies about .3 to .5 degree Celsius. All the other spots are dead on after you calibrate the unit. Don't know if I lucked out and got the only good one made or if all of them are about the same quality but I love mine. I add a little water every 3 days or so and that is it. Very low maintenance.

Thank you for your review! I did some thinking and really wanted to spend less than $100 since I'll only really use it for my classroom. And it needed to be self sufficient. I have gone back and forth on those yellow ones. Glad you're having a good experience! I'll probably go with it.

 

[CoopDeDoo]

I'm with Gone Quackers; I'm curious what everyone does with their chicks/ ducklings?

I was planning on selling mine (if they hatch) on Craigslist. But who knows; I may be so attached, I won't be able to let them go.

What do you think is a good selling price for baby chicks? I'll have some purebred Exchequer Leghorns and also some mixed chicks.

I have always had good luck on CL - more interest then I chicks/chickens. I try to sell them for slightly more than I paid per egg - say $5 per chick or maybe more if they were really rare and hard to hatch/raise.

 

[Jessimom]

What in the world do you do with so many chicks? 

They are cute little fuzzy silkies. I've only been hatching 6 to 10 each time. I've sold half, with plans to sell most. Not a lot of silkies in the area.

 

[LilChickens2]

I have always had good luck on CL - more interest then I chicks/chickens. I try to sell them for slightly more than I paid per egg - say $5 per chick or maybe more if they were really rare and hard to hatch/raise.

At what age does everyone start trying to sell their chicks? (Day old, at a couple weeks, or...?) Afraid the longer I keep them the more attached I will become.

 

[CoopDeDoo]

At what age does everyone start trying to sell their chicks? (Day old, at a couple weeks, or...?) Afraid the longer I keep them the more attached I will become.

All ages last time - I had 28 hatch and that is too many for my set up. Sold some as day old, some at a couple of weeks and the rest at about 6-7 weeks. Unfortunately the really friendly chicks that we were getting attached too were all males

and we have no roosters allowed in city limits.

 

[Triplecross]

I plan to sell them as day old chicks, but in reality I'll want a few days with them to make sure they have a good start, and anyways, it takes a few days before people answer an CL ad. Then I can get my mommy-and-chick time in

How much would y'all sell hatching eggs for?
I've got s barnyard mix dozen I thought I'd ask $10 for. Is that too high?

 

[CoopDeDoo]

Got home from class last night and the incubator had spiked to 101

Adjusted it the tiniest little bit - went to bed two hours later and it was holding study at 99.1 - got up this morning and it was 97

Adjusted the tiniest bit again... have to work all day - keep your fingers crossed for the eggs that they won't fried by tonight

 

[CoopDeDoo]

I plan to sell them as day old chicks, but in reality I'll want a few days with them to make sure they have a good start, and anyways, it takes a few days before people answer an CL ad. Then I can get my mommy-and-chick time in

How much would y'all sell hatching eggs for?
I've got s barnyard mix dozen I thought I'd ask $10 for. Is that too high?

Here - barnyard mix eggs sell for $10 - $15 a dozen.

 

[beetandsteet]

TurkenMomma - I have just started incubating and have completed 2 hatches and I have a 75%+ hatch rate using a $70 plastic Chinese incubator I got off eBay. They are yellow, have an egg turner, digital humidity and temp readout, and hold 48 eggs. I put a temp probe in almost every egg holder and found that there are about 10 or so places where the temp varies about .3 to .5 degree Celsius. All the other spots are dead on after you calibrate the unit. Don't know if I lucked out and got the only good one made or if all of them are about the same quality but I love mine. I add a little water every 3 days or so and that is it. Very low maintenance.

I also have one of these and am planning to use it as a hatcher. Would you have any tips on how to calibrate it?

 

[beetandsteet]

I've done several staggered batches.  I also have 2 incubators.  My first staggered was as soon as the Christmas chicks hatched, I did a quick cleaning of the 2nd bator and put in the New Years chicks.  The two sets of chicks were fine in the same brooder.  But then I hatched some chicks last week, and those chicks were almost too small to put in with the earlier ones.  But, I kept an eye on them.  Now, I'm hatching more this weekend, and I will need to find another spot to brood these.  The other group is just too big to mix them.   So, hatching is fine, it's finding a spot to put the hatched chicks that might become problematic.

I would give yourself at least 5 days for the first group to hatch, and for you to clean up the 'bator, before your next group is ready to go in.  You are at a week, so that is a perfect amount of time.  Good luck and happy hatching!!

Thank you!!!!!