Hatchers Anonymous *Official Thread*

[LaurenM23]

Kat'sChicks :

Ummmm.....I think I'm in trouble......my last batch of eggs is due to hatch Monday the 8th. All's good there, but, um, I bid on 3 different auctions in the last 24 hours and won all 3! Now I have at least 42 eggs being shipped Monday so I guess I have to leave the bator running.......oops!

WOW!

You are hatching like mad! Haha What kind of bator(s) are you using?

Congrats to all of those hatching or on the brink! I'm seriously questioning if I can keep these two in all winter. They are 9 weeks and are getting to be a pretty good size and EXTREMELY active! When is the earliest you would try integrating?​

 

[dsqard]

Whispers quietly to Lauren, you know that Mahonri is doing a New Year's Day hatch-a-long right?

 

[LaurenM23]

Oh, you know I've been all over it! Haha No, I'm on break for the winter regardless, as the SPPRs aren't up for it.

They refuse to enable, evidently...

 

[gryeyes]

Mwaaahaaaahaaaaahaaaaa!

3 chicks have hatched today! (So far.) I didn't expect ANY of these 21 eggs - in 3 MiniAdvance 'bators - to hatch, because they were kinda old when I set 'em, and shipped eggs to boot.

TWO of them are blue-egg layers, the "real deal" from a breeder. I can already see their little tufted cheeks all fluffed out!

 

[dsqard]

Congratulations Linda!! You will have to post pictures for us to see!

 

[Nekhebet]

Got 2/5 shipped Seramas to hatch today...I had to help one of them. No pics for now, since my camera AND phone have been put out of commission due to hubby's "repair" efforts....but I'll get some pics up when I can borrow his phone tonight/tomorrow.

It's funny, I'm a little frustrated with this hatch and told hubby I'm at max chicken capacity....but I've been combing auctions all day =x

 

[LaurenM23]

A friend who is a professional photographer came out today to take pics of one of my horses, but was really taken with my little flock. I'll have to post some pics once she sends them.

Linda, congrats on the new babies! The different eggs colors just fascinate me. I started out this chicken adventure thinking that I would focus on Dominiques, or other 18th century-type breeds. Now that I have absolutely ZERO of those, but a variety, every breed and type seems more interesting! Haha

 

[wolftracks]

First pip didn't make it. Don't know why yet, but the pip was huge and beak was out. Just died in the shell, but about 10 minutes ago one hatched. I have 3 more pipped.

I have my first Lav AM!!!!!

Now if I just get some more and the lone FBCM would hatch....

 

[Kat'sChicks]

Lauren, I only have one HovaBator, but have had VERY good hatches - right at 80% - my problem now is....if I get more than 42 eggs I only have 42 spaces in the turner.

I do have a friend who owes me a favor though.....
As far as integrating, it depends on your breeds and their ages as well as the amount of space; do they all free-range? Are they all standard size or bantam? Reasonably close in age? In my silkie lot I have a large coop with my original pair and 5 4 month old babies, 2 A-frames, one in use by 2 adult pairs and a small coop that houses my 4 10 week olds. They all run together during the day in a fenced 25X40 area with some trees and I have no problems with age differences. I also have my year old BO's and 6 month old BO's, BA's and SLW's that are in 2 separate coops next to that, but they free-range over the whole property. One of those hens has a pair of 9 week old chicks and nobody bothers them. Everyone goes in at night and the coops are locked as well as the fences. I don't let my silkies out with the big kids because my BO roos would try to mate with my little girls and my main silkie roo still thinks he can kick the BO roos' butts!

It would be nothing but disaster.
The chicks that I hatch have a cozy portion of an extra room just inside the garage where they'll spend the winter - I just haven't told DH how long they'll be there

 

[MomMommyMamma]

This is exactly why I have not purchased an incubator. I can already tell that there would be problems. A lovely neighbor is currently incubating eggs I bought from auctions here in both of her Brinseas. No, I must not get my own incubator(s).
I am REALLY curious though...what do you all do with all of these chickens?? Because if I could answer that question, I could probably justify a bator.