Hovabator Genesis Hatch, Feb-May! WITH CONTESTS!

[Mrs. Mucket]

Quote:
Question for those who incubate different breeds together: Do the chicks will stay next to their own shells for a while so you can tell who is who? Or do you have to be able to ID them by eye? My chicks will look very similar but I did mark the shells.

 

[sgtmom52]

Mrs. Mucket :

Quote:
Question for those who incubate different breeds together: Do the chicks will stay next to their own shells for a while so you can tell who is who? Or do you have to be able to ID them by eye? My chicks will look very similar but I did mark the shells.

They stay by their shells for about the first few seconds and then they are everywhere! You can put colored zip ties on their legs, but you don't want to open the bator until they all hatch so they will be mixed up by then anyway.

Some people do put dividers or baskets in the bator for lockdown to try to keep the chicks separate. I tried a divider last spring, but it didn't work for long, a couple of daring chicks went over the wall!

I had trouble telling chicks apart in a hatch last year that had Ameraucanas and Cuckoo Marans x Ameraucana mixes. The girls all looked pretty much the same. On this hatch I left the Cochins and Ameraucanas in my Genesis for lockdown and moved all the EEs (Cuckoo Marans/Ameraucana x Ameruacana) to my LG forced air bator ~ to eliminate the guessing game. Boy am I glad I did as the EE's look exactly like the Ameraucanas at this point!​

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I just threw together a quick homemade 'bator. Will take a pic when I get the temp together..it isn't much but I don't care as long as it hatches babies out!!

I got 12 OE ( Olive Egger ) eggs from a friend of mine this morning..they're sooooo pretty!!!

 

[sgtmom52]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

I just threw together a quick homemade 'bator. Will take a pic when I get the temp together..it isn't much but I don't care as long as it hatches babies out!!

I got 12 OE ( Olive Egger ) eggs from a friend of mine this morning..they're sooooo pretty!!!

Great! I be waiting for those pictures!

 

[sgtmom52]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

I just threw together a quick homemade 'bator. Will take a pic when I get the temp together..it isn't much but I don't care as long as it hatches babies out!!

I got 12 OE ( Olive Egger ) eggs from a friend of mine this morning..they're sooooo pretty!!!

Great! I'll be waiting for those pictures!

 

[karimw]

Mrs. Mucket :

Quote:
Question for those who incubate different breeds together: Do the chicks will stay next to their own shells for a while so you can tell who is who? Or do you have to be able to ID them by eye? My chicks will look very similar but I did mark the shells.

I hatched my lavenders and IA Blues in a large suet cage. This didn't work as well for the Iowa blues because they were little enough to get out. The lavs were mad though and kept trying to escape and screeching up a storm. When they hatched they wanted to RUN!​

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Question for those who incubate different breeds together: Do the chicks will stay next to their own shells for a while so you can tell who is who? Or do you have to be able to ID them by eye? My chicks will look very similar but I did mark the shells.

I hatched my lavenders and IA Blues in a large suet cage. This didn't work as well for the Iowa blues because they were little enough to get out. The lavs were mad though and kept trying to escape and screeching up a storm. When they hatched they wanted to RUN!

I did the big suet cage last time too, and the bantam chicks that were in it didn't get out, but other chicks got IN!!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Great! I'll be waiting for those pictures!

I finished it..but I need a 40 W. bulb...everyother bulb I have goes to 120!!!

So until I get the temp right I can't set my eggies. I also had trouble w/ the humidity..I had to lower it. At the moment I have a 13 W. bulb, and it looks like it isn't gonna go past 85.

 

[PepsNick]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

I just threw together a quick homemade 'bator. Will take a pic when I get the temp together..it isn't much but I don't care as long as it hatches babies out!!

I got 12 OE ( Olive Egger ) eggs from a friend of mine this morning..they're sooooo pretty!!!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I still haven't taken any pictures, but I just now got the temp to 102...instead of 110 or 120!!

I will be setting the eggs in a bit if the 'temp holds.