Hatching in the Winter???

[joyous]

I have seen that some of you hatch all year round....so I was wondering. How long to you have to keep them in the house before you put them in the chicken coop? I have some 7 week olds in a separate pen with a heatlamp 24/7 in the coop that are doing well. I could partition it off to have two pens with a heat lamp each, but with the freezing weather we get from dec-march in Iowa I would think a new hatch would have to be at least 8 weeks until you put them in the coop? My second question is that I have some 7 month old dorkings that have been laying for about a month. Since I have never had dorkings before, I don't know if medium sized eggs is normal, or if they will get bigger with time....could I put them in the inci now??? Thanks! It sure would be fun to time some Christmas chicks for my Grandchildren!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If the eggs are not tiny they you can hatch them.

I brood outside in a old deep freeze. You can see it here. http://cmfarm.us/cam_1.html

As you can see its cold in there an they huddle up to the pipe heater I built. You could put the same heater anywhere you raise chicks as long as there is no draft. Here's the build page. http://cmfarm.us/pvc-heater.html

 

[joyous]

Great ideas! Love the heater! How do you ventilate and keep clean the freezer brooder?

 

[marcym]

I grew up in Long Grove, and am just north of DeWitt now. I plan on hatching all winter long. I have 38 that just hatched last night and today. They will stay in the house until next Wed, then out to the brooder they go. Worked like a charm the last batch I set out three weeks ago. At 3 weeks, they are feathered out much more than the ones in the Spring were, and seem to be twice as healthy too. I haven't lost one yet, knock on wood.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I have the lid propped open about an inch on one end. Never cleaned that one. It still has the same 6 inches of wood chips that I put in it a year an a half ago, I just turn it ever now an then. There is worms in there to though. Never has a smell. The other one I have I have cleaned out once with a long handle dust pan an then hosed it down. I could have just dumped it in the yard though.