First Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon- Join us! Set Day: Easter

[Jessshan8]

Jess, the 5 gallon bucket behind the broody, is that a nesting box? If so, cool idea!

Yes it is, iuse it for smaller sized chickens and banties. I took the lid off cut it out with a jig saw, put the lid back on and saw dust inside. Works like a champ for my Broodies. They feel safe in there. I have never had one leave once they were in it. Not so well for large orpingtons though.

 

[Jessshan8]

I set my eggs on Easter, I would love to join the hatchathon. I set Serama, Silkie, Modern Game and a couple "mystery eggs"

You are definitly welcome to join in the fun!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

So how many chicken eggs need to be set for 11 turkey eggs? Why, you ask.
I wanted my turkeys to get off so a good start so I set 9 dozen chicken eggs. I think I need more than a straight jacket. I set Serama, Showgirl, EE, OE, Icelandics, LF and bantam Langshan, RIR, Golden Laced Polish, Cuckoo Marans, Welsummers, BLRW, and bantam Wyandotte. (and for Deb, a Partridge in a pear tree).

You know I was just thinking to myself, the girls have laid and laid this week and despite giving 4 dozen to my neighbor on Friday I still have NINE DOZEN EXTRA EGGS. What does one DO with nine dozen eggs? I was going to make nine pound cakes or quiche (and I don't even like quiche) but I think this is a much better solution.

 

[dsqard]

SCG if you set 9 dozen eggs, in 9 months you will have close to 9 dozen eggs a day. Just sayin.

Jess that coop and pen are awesome!
Birdguy, keeping

that your little girl kid is going to be OK. If you get pictures of the goats today, could you post pictures of the poults you hatched for the Easter hatch too?
yinepu, please post pictures of the poults you are hatching. I love seeing turkey fuzzybutts!
I second the request from I think it was Arielle, for any knowledge from turkey breeers on the different breeds. My only experience so far has been with the BR's and I really like them. The ones I have are very calm and I like the fact that they don't get as big as the broad breasted kind. They are very flavorful too. I didn't have to brine the ones we cooked last year since they were under a year old. We just cooked them in one of those turkey cooking bags to retain the moisture. We might have to brine this year as we are probably going to cook Tom for Thanksgiving and he will be about a year and a half then. Would this be the best way to cook an older bird?

 

[zookeeper15133]

Here is a link from Porter's Turkeys on incubating turkey eggs.

http://www.porterturkeys.com/egghatchingtips.htm

 

[Wisher1000]

I set my eggs on Easter, I would love to join the hatchathon. I set Serama, Silkie, Modern Game and a couple "mystery eggs"

What size and color do you want for your jacket?

 

[Wisher1000]

We got triplet baby nubian goats tonight!!! We were just finishing up at the barn tonight and I told my daughter, I think Taffy might be in labor... so we sat down and waited...

Sure enough about 15 minutes later she delivered a little girl... wasn't breathing.. right afterwards she delivered a little boy... so I'm working on the girl with a towel, rubbing her, blowing in her mouth... Taffy's working on the little boy.. then about 10-15 minutes later out pops another little boy!!

The two boys were doing really well when we left... The little girl is still really weak so we brought her home and we're keeping our fingers crossed. I milked some colustrum before we left and I've gotten about an ounce in her with a syringe.. DD has been holding her, wrapped in a towel on top of a hot water bottle to keep her toasty warm... For those of you who pray for your animals keep Miracle in your prayers tonight!!

I'll take the camera out to the barn tomorrow and get some pictures..

How's that baby girl doing this morning? Update please!

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote:

Jess, Here's the version for your larger hens........or medium hens like mine with 10 chicks!!
An old garbage can that had cracked on the top by the handle, cut the top off, cut an opening and viola`, home! Disregard the dust (I have chickens you know!) and the decorations left by the juvidees using it for a "king of the hill" game.

 

[yinepu]

Would you share, again, you method of lockdown. Temp, humidity,etc.

My family has been hatching them out using the same parameters that Porters has been using.. and from what I was told.. we've been doing it that way for well over 100 years through all the generations

since I'm using the Reptipro here's what I had:
99.5 degrees (can go up to 100 with no problems) for the temp at shelf level (some people have issues with getting the correct temp at shelf level with a Reptipro.. I think they are over thinking it.. so I use temp at shelf level and it has never failed me)

during the winter i don't add any water since the bator is in our bathroom.. so stays humid enough in there for them.. during the summer I add water to bring the humidity up a bit (it gets insanely dry here)... 40 to 45% in the bator during incubation... you could probably go a bit drier for incubation without any problems.. though at hatch i always make sure the humidity is really up there

around day 24 to day 25 I candle and check for any internal pips.. then take them out of the turner or quit turning (depending on if I was hand turning or not)

lower the temp down to 98 - 98.5 and then raise the humidity up to 80% or higher (personally I think this is the key to having poults hatch without any getting too weak or stuck..)


these poults have been pipping and zipping with no problems at all... no stuck or sticky chicks.. and no wore out chicks that couldn't hatch on their own
now we're just waiting on the late hatchers (well.. they were due TODAY.. so they aren't really late... lol)

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Whoa... how'd we get to almost 700 posts??!!