Getting Hard to Resist

[bigredfeather]

Last year I was a hatching fool. It was my first year with chickens, and I had chicken fever bad. I bought and hatched eggs from February to August, so I had chicks of all different ages to deal with the whole year, which was a major pain. So, after that fiasco, I decided that this year I was going to do all my hatching in the month of April to avoid this same scenario. All I have to say is: IT IS REALLY HARD TO RESIST! My BCM's started laying a few weeks ago, and everytime I collect their eggs, I think to myself "you should hatch them, you should hatch them." I guess April will be here soon enough, and I can give into my temptation then. I know I will be glad if I stick to my plan, but it isn't easy.

 

[trilyn]

Ah come on! You know you want to start up that bator and throw some eggs in there! lol

You know yourself best and if you need to wait until April, then that's what you do. It'll be here before you know it!!

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
I might put some in next week, just for a fertility check.

Of course then I would have to find someone to take the chicks off my hands. Probably wouldn't be too hard to get rid of BCM or Barnevelder chicks. We'll see what happens.

 

[trilyn]

No, it wouldn't be too hard to find homes for them! If you've got some bcm eggs for sale-let me know, my bator will be free by the 10th and I must have something to go in it!!!

 

[IggiMom]

Actually, in the summer I hatch out some in February, and in May, and in June. (And probably a few in August, hmmm)

Yes, it is true that you have to keep an eye on them while integrating them and so forth, but I am helped by the fact that my gals free range. I did have one horrible pecking incident last summer, I don't know why it happened.

The reason I do this, aside from the fact that I enjoy it, is because I then have hens laying all year. The Feb chicks will start laying in July, hopefully, when some of last year's hens start to molt and quit laying.

The May chicks will likewise start laying when some others start molting and quit laying.

The June chicks will start to lay in December, so I will have lots of eggs throughout the winter.

Last year I didn't start to hatch until June, and had three months when I only had a trickle of eggs coming in.

So you see, there is a very good reason to be hatching out chicks at different times, and you should go ahead and do it!

Right?

Catherine

 

[mstricer]

I've been trying to hatch since October have had chicks since they, first I had my own test pilot. resulted in 100% hatch rate, (gave them to an Amish neighbor, all Roo's) then got excited and bought BCM eggs resulted in a 25$ chick, tried again and got a 40$ chick, and now again this time went for the gusto and set almost 30 eggs, with my luck they will all hatch and then my ordered chicks will be avaliable and my house will be over run with little chickies

but I cant stop

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
I PMed you.

 

[bel]

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