Hatching eggs- quick Question!

[77horses]

Hi!

I was wondering, is it possible to hatch eggs in winter? I have heard that usually people put the bator away until Spring. But people who live in like Alaska hatch out chicks too!
So I was wondering if I could try hatching out around this time or November+...? I am getting my supplies for a bator to make, like a light, cooler(but i haven't found a cooler yet. They aren't in wal-mart now because Summer is over

) But I am gathering all the supplies that I can!

Anyone else hatch all winter?

 

[klf73]

A lot of people hatch all winter, problem is you have to keep them indoors all winter(DUSTY) unless you have a heated place to put them outdoors. It's all about how much work you want to put in

. I am in Maine and am just setting some. BTW Alaska has a summer too

 

[Katy]

I hatch on and off most of the winter. It takes more care and work to make sure they stay warm enough and if you don't have a good place to keep them it's probably not a good idea.

 

[77horses]

Ohh OK. Ya that's what I thought. Maybe I can turn our closet into a brooder room LOL!
That may work, actually. All I have to do is put up some type of wall so the chicks won't get out, put something down on the floor, like newspaper, and put all the food/water dishes in there!

LOL I didn't know Alaska had a summer!

How warm does it get there?

 

[klf73]

I only spent 3 years there(dh military) and it got to the 80's at times, but we needed to trick or treat with a sled

 

[77horses]

Quote:
LOL!

Wow! 80's??? I thought that it was more cold than that! I thought it was like minus something all the time. I guess I got mixed up with Antarctica LOL silly me.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Silly. No. Common misconception, but it depends on where you are in the state, too. North of the Arctic Circle is one thing. Fairbanks and the Interior is another. The west coast (Nome, etc) is different from the Southeastern Panhandle (Ketchikan, Juneau, etc) which is different from SouthCentral (Anchorage, Kenai, ...) which is where I am.

Here, this last year we ranged from -40F in the dead of winter (Jan/Feb) to a couple of really nice days in the 70's in July. This year was the third coolest summer on record since they started keeping track in 1917, and we got a LOT LOT LOT of rain this year. I am hoping the snow picks up where the rain left off.

But we were in the 50s-60s most of the summer.
But no, it's not in the freezing temps all year round. Only 7-8 months of the year, here.

(I must be insane)

But, having said that, I still have eggs in the incubator, and we hit a low of 23F this morning. I have an insulated breeders coop with a built-in brooder pen, so I technically can keep hatching all winter. I'm supposed to be done, but I just sold all of my 3 month old pullets, and I need more layers for the Spring, so I may put a few more LBs in the incubator next week. I'm still thinking about it. I really want a break, though... chicks take a lot of watching for their first few weeks. Especially in the cold temps.

 

[77horses]

OK.
But why do they need lots of watching in the cold temps?

 

[klf73]

It's not really "watching", it's making sure they don't freeze to death. That is what everyone means by watching them, making sure their temps are at the correct level. Just like babies they are more susceptable to temps. For example I will go out without a coat in winter but would never do that with my baby, it's too dangerous for her. Young chicks are fragile and don't get the proper feathers to keep them warm until they are quite a bit older. I have chicks right now that if it were summer they would be outside, but since it is getting so cold, especially at night, they are getting a special coop with heat built now.

 

[77horses]

OK. Thanks everyone for the info!

Yes, it IS getting cold here too! I'm wondering if maybe my dad will build a brooder inside the house....?

well, probably not. He says he doesn't want any more chickens right now, since winter is coming! I kinda agree, although I would LOVE to try hatching some more again now!