I have a bone to pick with all you incubating ppl...

[SmiYa0126]

I didn’t sleep in over 48hrs when I did my first hatch. Plus I had been getting every 4-6 hours to check temps for the full 21 days since the temperature in the room my incubator was in wasn’t stable. I was actually delirious by the time I got to sleep.

The little sleep I did get I kept hearing chicks cheeping,

 

[Dakota8472]

The little sleep I did get I kept hearing chicks cheeping,

I do and don't miss that

 

[Liz Birdlover]

It doesn't stop at hatching & brooding. Once they're grown adults, in the coop, you'll be glued to weather apps, always checking rain, wind direction, time of sunrise & sunset, tracking storms, etc. When you get home from work, before you even do anything else, you'll check on your flock. You'll even plan how long you're gone & what times you leave the house, around your chicken chores & weather forecasts...Chickens are your life!
If you're nuts, don't worry, you're not alone!

I found a T shirt, perfect for folks like us.

 

[St_Gall]

Listen here you incubating men and women of this backyard chicken world....

Y'all didnt warn nobody about how addicting this mess is and how it CONSUMES your life!! This is my first time incubating eggs and I think Im worse then the a real mother hen...cant go 30 mins/hour without checking the humidity and temp on all my gadgets.....shining my candling flashlight thru the plastic of the incubator just to see the little 'chicken beans' do their shimmying and make sure veins are still there....when I'm not even home I'm still wondering if they're okay. WHAT IN FRESH HELL!?...

Why didn't I read any of this in a forum or book!? Or am I just bonkers??

I feel you! Our first hatch are 10 days old and I'm here trying to figure out how long I should wait to start now.

 

[Coops Dad]

My wife is addicted to chicks and did back-to-back hatches for over a year straight. Every three weeks, she'd put new chicks into the brooder, move the brooder chicks into tractor 1, move the tractor 1 chucks to tractor 2, move the tractor 2 chicks into the grow out pen, move the grow out pen youngsters into either the main flock enclosure or bachelor pen, then clean out the incubator and reload it with new eggs.

I'd process the cockerels and she'd cherry pick the chicks, keeping her "favorites" and selling the rest when they got to about 3 months old.

She recently took a 3 month break but started the process again a month ago. We have week old chicks in the brooder and another batch of eggs in the incubator. 3 turkey eggs and 12 chicken eggs.

 

[Iluveggers]

My wife is addicted to chicks and did back-to-back hatches for over a year straight. Every three weeks, she'd put new chicks into the brooder, move the brooder chicks into tractor 1, move the tractor 1 chucks to tractor 2, move the tractor 2 chicks into the grow out pen, move the grow out pen youngsters into either the main flock enclosure or bachelor pen, then clean out the incubator and reload it with new eggs.

I'd process the cockerels and she'd cherry pick the chicks, keeping her "favorites" and selling the rest when they got to about 3 months old.

She recently took a 3 month break but started the process again a month ago. We have week old chicks in the brooder and another batch of eggs in the incubator. 3 turkey eggs and 12 chicken eggs.

I envy your wife…

 

[DebinCR]

Listen here you incubating men and women of this backyard chicken world....

Y'all didnt warn nobody about how addicting this mess is and how it CONSUMES your life!! This is my first time incubating eggs and I think Im worse then the a real mother hen...cant go 30 mins/hour without checking the humidity and temp on all my gadgets.....shining my candling flashlight thru the plastic of the incubator just to see the little 'chicken beans' do their shimmying and make sure veins are still there....when I'm not even home I'm still wondering if they're okay. WHAT IN FRESH HELL!?...

Why didn't I read any of this in a forum or book!? Or am I just bonkers??

I think you're a normal new mom, frankly...I fuss over my first grandchicks with all sorts of small treats and petting.

 

[Se7en]

Oh my, that's how I feel about my girls who are only 3 months old and in the coop. I am constantly checking on them and fussing over them. When they were in the brooder I was waking up during the night checking on them. Thanks for the warning. I will definitely NOT be incubating eggs now. Lol.

 

[TempletonPeck]

Listen here you incubating men and women of this backyard chicken world....

Y'all didnt warn nobody about how addicting this mess is and how it CONSUMES your life!! This is my first time incubating eggs and I think Im worse then the a real mother hen...cant go 30 mins/hour without checking the humidity and temp on all my gadgets.....shining my candling flashlight thru the plastic of the incubator just to see the little 'chicken beans' do their shimmying and make sure veins are still there....when I'm not even home I'm still wondering if they're okay. WHAT IN FRESH HELL!?...

Why didn't I read any of this in a forum or book!? Or am I just bonkers??

Wait until they pip - oh my goodness… attached are photos from an assisted hatch. Betty from her egg (2 days late pipping, so I went in) and how she is today.
It’s absolutely attention and time consuming, but they are my world.
Good luck!

 

[Marycrazylady]

Your just crazy. Lol.

Listen here you incubating men and women of this backyard chicken world....

Y'all didnt warn nobody about how addicting this mess is and how it CONSUMES your life!! This is my first time incubating eggs and I think Im worse then the a real mother hen...cant go 30 mins/hour without checking the humidity and temp on all my gadgets.....shining my candling flashlight thru the plastic of the incubator just to see the little 'chicken beans' do their shimmying and make sure veins are still there....when I'm not even home I'm still wondering if they're okay. WHAT IN FRESH HELL!?...

Why didn't I read any of this in a forum or book!? Or am I just bonkers??

Listen here you incubating men and women of this backyard chicken world....

Y'all didnt warn nobody about how addicting this mess is and how it CONSUMES your life!! This is my first time incubating eggs and I think Im worse then the a real mother hen...cant go 30 mins/hour without checking the humidity and temp on all my gadgets.....shining my candling flashlight thru the plastic of the incubator just to see the little 'chicken beans' do their shimmying and make sure veins are still there....when I'm not even home I'm still wondering if they're okay. WHAT IN FRESH HELL!?...

Why didn't I read any of this in a forum or book!? Or am I just bonkers??

I am an addict. I incubated as soon as they hatched. Till I had to winter over a clutch in my house. Hey it was nice ended up having fresh eggs in the house. Now last incubation is in the end of July . I feel for ya.