IA here

[sammileah]

Yesterday was 1st ship date but got pushed till the 31st crossing my fingers. But I'll wait if it means getting the blues I ordered.

 

[harleyjo]

We went to town today to do a few things. One of which was to get parts so my guy could build me an incubator. Well I think he decided he would rather buy a cheap one so I now have a cheap Hova Bator. I am going to have to turn my own eggs and stuff right now. It is a start and that is all I care about. I am starting to collect eggs today. These will just be mutts crossed with a rooster that I have no idea what it is. Just something to start with and I have BSL, BO and BA that the fertile eggs will be coming from now.Large breed fowl that can be dual purpose. I will never do those stinky, messy cornish cross chickens again. I would rather butcher a dual purpose than mess with them again.

I may need a lot of hand holding the first hatch or two or until I get the hang of this. Any tips appreciated as I am getting ready to go. Here is a pic of my roo.

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[karimw]

It wasn't any fun when we butchered our 7 extra roos ourselves this spring

My DH convinced me we could do it and I agreed as long as I didn't have to be the one to kill them. Not that I can't, but a deal is a deal right? Somehow they seemed to be the best tasting chicken I've ever had

 

[boxermom]

It was difficult for us too, the first time we processed our extra roos. DH did the deed and we both plucked and cleaned. (I wear rubber gloves

) We have now gotten our routine down. We did a turkey the wknd before Easter and start to cleaned up was only 45 minutes. We have our nails on the fence to bleed, the the nails in the tree to pluck, or we also have a hook hanging from a rafter in our barn/canning kitchen so we can pluck out of the weather or away from those nasty little bugs.

It has gotten a lot easier. Since it's not such a hassel anymore, we do smaller batches instead of waiting until we have MANY roos. It's nice not killing the entire day, or ourselves getting them all done.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Have eggs in the incubator to hatch this weekend. In with all the Columbian Cochin eggs are several Iowa Blue eggs. I set a dozen Ia Blue eggs almost 3 weeks ago but only 2 were fertile so most interested in those. Hatching about a dozen Columbians each weekend. Trying to get some more good ones for show and to build up my breeder numbers. Thinking it might be time to quit setting Columbian eggs soon. Now if my Black hens would only lay regularly I would definitely hatch out a bunch of Blacks. I am blessed with a very tolerant and understanding wife who lets me raise lots of chicks.

 

[sammileah]

Raise a coffee cup- cheers to the spouses that put up with and sometimes partakes in our insanity.
I've had several ppl this week say how lucky they are that Thier spouse puts up with Thier addiction/obsession. I know I am hell mine even pays for it.

 

[pbjmaker]

Quote:
Make mine a soda but

 

[boxermom]

Quote:

 

[harleyjo]

Quote:

I agree!

Now that I am entering into the realm of incubating too. Setting up the bator now as I write this. Trying to figure out the adjustment of temp. I have eggs ready to go as soon as I get the adjustments figured out. I can't decide after reading an article posted on here whether to do dry incubation until lockdown or to add a little humidity now.

I can't do the killing either of the chickens but my guy does so that helps. I don't mind the rest of it but just can't kill them. I loved having my own chickens to eat, I just hate those dirty, stinky cornish cross. He also didn't like having to do a whole bunch at once, so this way only have to do a few at a time. I get hatch and get just what I want for my layers and don't have to pay the hatcheries.

 

[harleyjo]

Ok, my Hova Bator still air is at 102° with the thermometer that came with it sitting on the wire rack, no eggs in it. Should it be turned down or left that high due to the fact it will probably cool down when it is off the rack with eggs in it?