I think I'm addicted, are you???

[chickintexas]

I've been addicted to hatching eggs since last year. I was super excited to get this season's eggs into the 'bator. Two batches are in lockdown in the hatcher (Silkies and BLRW) and just set a third set (D'uccles) into the incubator. I made my hatcher with a large window so my children would be able to easily watch the chicks hatch.

Oh, and the DH thinks I'm a total freak when I'm sitting there staring at eggs. He doesn't seem to understand that they do move before they hatch!

 

[madrooster]

what still amazes me is in 72 hrs or so u can see the heart beating it still blows my mind at how fast these little fluffy butts grow. god is awesome:cd

 

[koakritters]

i'm getting my first dozen on sat! they're all mixes, who knows who dad is lol, but the hens are Mille Fleur D'uccle, Porcelain D'uccle, Ameraucana and Wyandottes, all breeds which i've never had before! I have 2 people who have said they want chicks, i was going to sell them the ones from this hatch but since i only got 2... and i kinda want to keep the little black one around for a bit and see what she turns out to be since both mom and dad are orange... maybe i'll be able to figure out what dad's mixed with! besides... what's wrong with 2 more chickens... hehehe.

once i get this incubating thing all figured out and working correctly i'm planning on buying me some of those silkie eggs which always seem to be way more expensive then anything else...

gotta make sure i'm not going to kill them first!!! i'll be keeping all those silkies that hatch btw, lol. i loooove my one i have!

 

[petunias212]

I'm with you...this is my first hatch and so far it's been disappointing because I started with 24 and only have 9 left...but I've learned so much and made notes about do's and don'ts, yet in spite of it all, I cannot wait until I get my hands on more eggs!!!!

 

[goatranch]

Hello my Hatch-a- holic friends!!!!

I feel so connected to everyone on here. I just started my new incubator 3 days ago. I will give them a week before I start candling. I have another incubator full of goose eggs that I am hatching for someone else. I have heard of people being paid per chick to hatch for others. I am thinking about that because I am running out of room. It is a hobby that can get out of hand REAL FAST!! My homemade incubator holds 84 eggs. I am curious about the hatch rate. Good luck to everyone!! HAPPY HATCHING!!

 

[petunias212]

once i get a better incubator and i've gotten some good hatches - then i will invest in some silkie eggs - right now, as some poster said, they really are too expensive to use as an experiment.

 

[koakritters]

Quote:
more like waaaaay too expensive!!! i dont know why, it seems as though there are lots available on here... I know where I live it's almost impossible to find silkie chicks, i got lucky and happened to go to the feed store the same day they got a shipment of 12 in! they get them twice a year, and sometimes if they're lucky a third batch at the end of the season, which is how i got my guy/girl/whatever it wants to be.... i figure if i can hatch them successfully i can make a couple $$ off them here!

 

[koakritters]

first dozen being picked up tomorrow at 10am.

other dozen are being picked up sunday midday, can't wait for sunday afternoon to put them all in!!!

i'm going to try having them in egg cartons this time. and i just went and bought a hygrometer and another thermometer so hopefully everything will go better this time.

 

[chickintexas]

Quote:
My first experimental batch were Silkie eggs and with a great hatch rate to boot!

Before I got my eggs, I received a Little Giant incubator plus I made my own hatcher to use during the last three days of incubation. My husband thinks I went crazy during that time because I kept buying and returning all sorts of thermometers but I wanted things to be perfect. In my personal experience, I've learned that things don't have to be 100% perfect 100% of the time.