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

[JacinLarkwell]

Okay, so back to my possible experiment thread, I'm unsure if I'll be able to do specific hens to compare, So I have 2 options:

Just Compare ratios within each breed I hatch (i.e., see how many males and females hatch out of 5 eggs from multiple breeds each) or just test my sexlink pwn since I'll be able to more likely tell those eggs apart.. also I would get those results faster (3 days instead of 3 months)

 

[WallyG74]

Awwww looka, Daphnie! She is SO cute.

That’s a tremendous looking duck!

 

[mylesrrom]

That’s a tremendous looking duck!

I named it Creamsicle

 

[Iluveggers]

Okay, so back to my possible experiment thread, I'm unsure if I'll be able to do specific hens to compare, So I have 2 options:

Just Compare ratios within each breed I hatch (i.e., see how many males and females hatch out of 5 eggs from multiple breeds each) or just test my sexlink pwn since I'll be able to more likely tell those eggs apart.. also I would get those results faster (3 days instead of 3 months)

Tag me if you try something!

I named it Creamsicle

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That may be the most precious duckling I’ve ever seen!

 

[inquisitivebird]

Once you get that first big pile of cockerels, you’ll slow down. At least I did.

When I learned how to butcher and cook cockerels, it made my addiction worse... Lol my incubator is running almost every month now. If we get too many we just eat them or sell them.

 

[WallyG74]

When I learned how to butcher and cook cockerels, it made my addiction worse... Lol my incubator is running almost every month now. If we get too many we just eat them or sell them.

My wife still doesn’t want to eat anything she has named, loved or watched emerge from its shell. Such things could be a necessity. She will change her mind if it comes to that, but I would love to be saving that money at the store that we spend on chicken.

 

[inquisitivebird]

My wife still doesn’t want to eat anything she has named, loved or watched emerge from its shell. Such things could be a necessity. She will change her mind if it comes to that, but I would love to be saving that money at the store that we spend on chicken.

Yes, my first time it made me sick, but then I got over it. We don't pluck them, but skin them and if I don't feel like the work that day, just cut off the breasts and legs and throw out the rest. Other times, I will save the carcass for broth. Home made chicken broth is so nice. I am careful not to get attached to most until I'm sure we won't eat them. If I make a mistake and can't keep one I end up attached to I make an effort to rehome.

 

[WallyG74]

Yes, my first time it made me sick, but then I got over it. We don't pluck them, but skin them and if I don't feel like the work that day, just cut off the breasts and legs and throw out the rest. Other times, I will save the carcass for broth. Home made chicken broth is so nice. I am careful not to get attached to most until I'm sure we won't eat them. If I make a mistake and can't keep one I end up attached to I make an effort to rehome.

I killed and butchered one rooster because he attacked one of the kids. It’s not difficult at all. I also skinned this one because I wasn’t about to try and pluck him by hand.

 

[SmiYa0126]

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.

You are a great hubby!

 

[SmiYa0126]

I have 3 incubators going from March to August. Hatch for a friend. Had about 12 batches from May till today. Mostly ducks and mix of chickens including silkies. Many of the duck batches were 100 percent hatch rate as long as the egg was fertile. Stressed over the first few batches and then learned just leaving them and checking humidity daily gave me the the best success. Have a Little giant that I added a fan to and it has been ultra successful, I manually turn in that one, and 2 Janoel 24 that are also ultra reliable. Those have auto turners. With the Janoel you have to reverse the fan so it blows up and around the top instead of blowing straight down on the eggs. Got those for uber cheap on Amazon on warehouse deals. Under 60 Canadian. Once the machine is set, candle a few times, check your humidity and leave them. Let nature do its thing and you will have excellent success. I have silkies popping out as I type this.

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Is there a thread in how to reverse the fan on the janoel?