hatching hatching hatching

This is the first time I've hatched this time of year. The jury is still out on how it's going to work out with winter just starting. I like the fact that the pullets should be starting to lay or at least getting close when it starts getting nice in spring.

 

Same here Katy.....my first winter hatch as well. They will be about 20 weeks the first week of May...so better egg production this summer. Now, the Jury is still out, as to if WE will all survive the Chickens in the house for winter!

 

Mine aren't spending all winter in the house.....if I tried that me and the chickens would probably be living in the barn!! They spend the first couple of weeks in the basement then out to the garage for the next month or so and then to a pen inside the coop.

 

I only keep mine in the house for a week then I have Wooden brooder boxes that they can stay in with lights and vents until they are two months. I then put them in a coop with a light. They do okay. You have to limit hatching to just what you want for sure.

 

I keep mine in the house for about a week. I have a brooder on my mud room and then out to the grow out pen at about 5-6 weeks. Next year I think I will hatch out a lot less.

 

I doubt that I do this many next fall/winter either. I got eggs according to how my shipped eggs had been hatching, which was not very good...then I had much better hatch rates from the eggs I got!! Oh well, I guess it's good problem to have. As soon as I can tell the roos from the pullets for sure all but a couple of the roos will be going to the poultry auction.