February Hatch-A-Long

[Gecko2T]

Now I have a question for those of you that incubate birds.

Do you find that the birds you incubate/hatch at this time of the year take as long to start/reach point of lay as birds you incubate/hatch in march/april/may (of the same breed)?

I just ask as a some of the breeds that I have now were hatched in January and February of 2018. They hit POL (only some, not all) in December/January. The two different breeders I've gotten birds from kept their own stock from later hatches (both stated April/May) and both have stated that their's hit POL at the same time as mine... The one breeder went on to state that he's noticed this with most of the breeds he has, but not all. The other breeder didn't answer to that one yet.

I have 2 Bielefelder pullets that were hatched in June - don't look any where near ready to start laying. My other Bielefelders were hatched in March and now all 4 appear to be laying. Though one started about 3 weeks before the other 3.

Our blue Australorps were hatched in May (stock from Privett Hatchery) and as of today - I still have only 1 in the pen of 5 and about 3 (& could be only 2) in the pen of 6 that have started laying. The good thing is that I'm incubating the eggs from the earliest layers right now (so hopefully any pullets will also lay earlier).

It just makes me curious. The one breeder stated that he'd recommend I wait to do the next hatch until March. I'll have better quality birds, with shorter feeding times, getting to POL sooner...

What is POL??

 

[paintedChix]

What is POL??

Point of Lay - or when they start laying eggs.

 

[mitziworm]

What is POL??

I'm guessing POL is point of lay, when pullets first start laying eggs.
Of course I could be wrong, hopefully someone else can confirm or correct?

 

[Gecko2T]

Point of Lay - or when they start laying eggs.

Thank you!

 

[Gecko2T]

I'm guessing POL is point of lay, when pullets first start laying eggs.
Of course I could be wrong, hopefully someone else can confirm or correct?

You were right. Thank you !

 

[WVcreekfarm]

Ok, I'm joining! Currently have 39 in the Genesis 1588 for a Valentine's (ish) hatch.
CCL, EE, Splash marans, Barnevelder & Australorp, Carolina Blue SexLink (shipped), 3 MYSTERY shipped, welsummer, orpington & GL/SL Wyandottes. With the chance for pure Orp, Wellie and Barnevelder. Also have a clean faced blue EE roo that could be a daddy.
I won't be keeping all of these, most will go to a friend that had a predator event and was almost wiped out.

I'm debating on ordering the "replacement" hovabator top and bottom to use as a hatcher with a seed mat and some sponges.

My shipped eggs went in 3 days behind my backyard bunch, so I'd like to be able to pull the "lockdown" eggs out and do them separate. Anyone have any advice on that? Should I just order the still air hovabator for a hatcher to be safer?
Should be fun to keep up with everyone's hatches and good luck to all!

 

[Cntry1958]

Ok, I'm joining! Currently have 39 in the Genesis 1588 for a Valentine's (ish) hatch.
CCL, EE, Splash marans, Barnevelder & Australorp, Carolina Blue SexLink (shipped), 3 MYSTERY shipped, welsummer, orpington & GL/SL Wyandottes. With the chance for pure Orp, Wellie and Barnevelder. Also have a clean faced blue EE roo that could be a daddy.
I won't be keeping all of these, most will go to a friend that had a predator event and was almost wiped out.

I'm debating on ordering the "replacement" hovabator top and bottom to use as a hatcher with a seed mat and some sponges.

My shipped eggs went in 3 days behind my backyard bunch, so I'd like to be able to pull the "lockdown" eggs out and do them separate. Anyone have any advice on that? Should I just order the still air hovabator for a hatcher to be safer?
Should be fun to keep up with everyone's hatches and good luck to all!

So you would hatch in just the top and bottom and use a seed mat on the bottom of it and sponges for the humidity it would work? That sounds great to try it. . I bet a small fish aquarium would do the same thing I have one of the aquariums that I might try in next time I hatch eggs for the hatch part.

 

[Cntry1958]

Who started lock down today ( Jan 29th) and will be the first hatch in February?

 

[WVcreekfarm]

So you would hatch in just the top and bottom and use a seed mat on the bottom of it and sponges for the humidity it would work? That sounds great to try it. . I bet a small fish aquarium would do the same thing I have one of the aquariums that I might try in next time I hatch eggs for the hatch part.

That was one option I thought about trying. The seed mat I have is probably 18" long & 8" wide. I'd probably cover it with something, maybe a cooling rack...have to hash that out. It brings the temp up about 20° more than the ambient temperature of the room it's in. I put it in a smallish tote with a lid today and it brought the tote interior temp up to 100 in a 73° room. If I did that route I'd definitely use some kind of insulation though. An aquarium should work just as well, as long as it's insulated to keep it warm enough.

I just figured it could be worth a try with the "replacement" pieces. At least I've got a few weeks to decide and test

 

[Hurley]

I've got two bunches incubating:

7 lovely blue-green eggs from Lavender Fibromelanistic Easter Eggers (7 of 7 shipped eggs show development, woot!) due to hatch in 9 days.

11 mixed breeds of eggs including 3 Ayam Cemani, a couple Marans, a couple Legbar, and others due to hatch in 12 days. This batch was also shipped, PO smashed up 6 of the eggs, 18 set, 11 developing thus far.