Early February 2016 Hatch - Who's In?

[Jessimom]

So the neighbor just came down yesterday and gave me half a dozen Welsumer eggs from his flock.

Been wanting some more purebred Welsumers so I was super happy. However, already had my six mutt eggs in the incubator since the 15th. Going to try a staggered hatch for the first time! Anyone have any advice?

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!!

 

[CoopDeDoo]

Quote:
You have my utmost respect.... normal incubating keeps my stress levels high enough

 

[Gone-Quackers]

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

 

[LilChickens2]

I arrived back from out of town last night and I had my MPC order waiting for me. I unwrapped each one and they have been sitting fat end up since last night. MPCs website was incorrect and they didn't send me 33 eggs as I had feared. But they did send 24 and I already have 11 eggs in my Brinsea (only holds 24 total). I wasn't confident my Yoosoo was holding a temperature so I ordered a Circulated Air Incubator from Fall Harvest off Amazon when I thought MPC had sent me 33 eggs. It has 4 out of 5 stars and I thought I would give that a go. I plugged it in last night and I think I have the temperature holding steady. The humidity on the other hand seems kind of high (I filled all the divets with water) so I need to find that "sweet" spot with the amount of water. I went ahead and moved 5 of my Whole Foods eggs that I set on 1/12 to this incubator and then put 18 MPC eggs into the Brinsea (now I have 24 eggs in the Brinsea). Once I am confident of the humidity in the new incubator, I will put my other 6 eggs from MPC into the new incubator too.

This is what I have:

Brinsea:

6 Mixed Eggs from my own flock put in 1/12 Polish Rooster over Cochin (1), Golden Comet (3), and UI Hen (2)
I candled all six of these tonight real fast as I was adding my MPC eggs and ALL six had veining. One I wasn't sure if it was a blood ring but I'll give it until Day 14 or Day 18 to see what happens.

Added the following 18 eggs to the Brinsea today 1/21:
5 Carolina Blue Sex Link
1 Lavender Ameraucana
4 Super Blue Egg Layer
5 Super Chocolate Egg Layer
3 Black Copper Marans

Fall Harvest Incubator:

I moved my 6 Whole Foods eggs into this one from the Brinsea. I candle each and I don't think I see veining in any. I called the place that sells these eggs to Whole Foods Market to see if they actually have a rooster with their hens and wouldn't you know it, a child answered the phone and wanted me to explain what fertilized was. :shrug I don't think these will be viable but I'll give them a few more days. I put them in 1/14 so they are only 7 days (but I should see some veining, right?)

Arriving soon:
6 Cochin eggs from ebay
6 Salmon Favorelle from ebay

 

[Shadow722]

I'm not putting water in mine until lockdown it's holding at 45% RH in both incubators.

 

[CoopDeDoo]

I'm not putting water in mine until lockdown it's holding at 45% RH in both incubators.

Lucky!I finally have mine holding relatively study in the high 30s to low 40s (ish) with about a tsp added every 8 -12 hours.

 

[LilChickens2]

I'm not putting water in mine until lockdown it's holding at 45% RH in both incubators.

What type of incbuators do you have?

My Brinsea has the attachment humidity device so I keep it set to 40% but it's so dry here in VA right now it hangs out at 30-35%.

I just opened my new incubator and soaked up some of the water to get this process going and lower the humidity. Ready to set some more eggs!

 

[Shadow722]

What type of incbuators do you have?

My Brinsea has the attachment humidity device so I keep it set to 40% but it's so dry here in VA right now it hangs out at 30-35%.

I just opened my new incubator and soaked up some of the water to get this process going and lower the humidity. Ready to set some more eggs!

I have a Farm Innovators 4200 and a 4250. I have mine setup in the laundry room that isn't part of the central heat of the house, it has a radiant heater above the door to keep it from getting too cold. The heat from the house goes in there it just isn't ducted. There is a concrete floor and it adjoins the garage on one side and has a back door to the outside. My normal RH in the house right now is 35% Not sure on the Laundry room but both bators are at 45%, so I left it alone.

 

[Triplecross]

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.

 

[LilChickens2]

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 also plan on selling most of mine on Craigslist, hopefully before I get too attached. I do have room for about 10 more chickens in a new coop we are building. Haven't decided what I'm keeping yet though.