IA here

[mrheinz77]

Hi,
I'm Jim and I think I'm addicted to hatching.

I am from Rowley, North of Cedar Rapids and East of Waterloo. I am currently hatching in one Hovabator and incubating in another. This is because I haven't figured out the wiring in my home made cabinet incubator.

I have at times had the second shelf of my Hovabator half full turning all of these by hand. I had temperature and humidity issues in it and haven't had very successful hatches (thus the desire to get my cabinet incubator going).

My goal is to work on the conservation of the Ia Blue and breed SQ Black Langshans, SQ Speckled Sussex, Black Crested White Polish, and others. I also have a few projects in mind. My current flock consists of a handful of mixed chickens, a quad of Silkies (Splash roo over 3 grey hens), a trio of bantam BCW bantam Polish, a pair of Pearl Guineas, a couple of ducks (3 duck eggs are hatching under the devil, I mean a broody hen right now), 5 African Grey Geese, 3 supposed Emdens (although the are getting grey splashing), and a turkey.

I also have several young ones in the brooders from County Line Hatchery (actually from Trish/Flash Point).

I am a High School Science Teacher at Independence Jr/Sr High and a dairy farmer. I raise Brown Swiss cattle. I am always open to swap eggs if anybody is interested (and the hens are laying) I am hoping to find some Langshans, SS, and BLR Wyandotte that I can work from. I am also hoping to get a few Ia Blues to work with. I have all these hopes, but they are often put on the back burner because of the current dairy problems. (Milk is barely paying for feed, if at all.)

Gotta go turn those eggs and see if I can figure out the incubator.

Jim

 

[LadyWoodsong]

Welcome, Jim!

Wow, sounds like a full life....that is wonderful. I grew up on a dairy farm so I know what hard work it is and it never lets up.

I'm from northwest Iowa and kind of new to owning chickens. You can see in my signature what I have.

 

[harleyjo]

Quote:
Hi Jim and welcome... I am new to incubating but I am also using a Hovabator. I am on my second hatch but I got interrupted because I had to throw in a few duck eggs last weekend and I am hoping it didn't affect my hatch. Anyway what I found with my still air HB after my first hatch is the temp really did flucuate. Since I couldn't figure out how to wire in another fan, didn't try to hard though, I went to Walmart for my second batch that is going now and got a 4" personal fan. It was $6.00. That temp doesn't usually miss a beat once it is set until I open it to turn the eggs. I would highly recommend getting one. Time, about a week or so now will tell if the higher humidity and ducklings moving the eggs around in the bator will affect my hatch but I love the fan in the bator.

I look forward to hearing about your adventures. I live in SW IA between Winterset and Creston.

 

[harleyjo]

Question... Do you all keep your fan going in your incubator at lockdown? I don't think I am going to be able to. They could get their beaks or something into the blades even with the fan guard on it.

 

[chiggerbit]

mrheinz77. you do hostas too?? Oh, wow!

 

[oldiabird]

Quote:
I had the one twin to deedee hatch only two, yesterday checked on two others that were supposed to be hatching and had all infertile eggs(boys must not have liked them) even though they seemed busy whenever they came out even after they were setting, oh well, they found a new home yesterday , had the one in the chickenhouse in a chicken nest hatch 14, and moved her this morning to a duck tractor,only have one more to hatch and hope she is soon!! Oh, by the way Steph, the eggs that the geese were setting on and the one's the turkey was setting on were also bad , as in mostly rotten, so there is arather foul oder outside yet this morning, I had 9 of 16 Ia blues hatched last nite, haven't checked yet this morning, hope for a few more! I had heard that Muscovy eggs are real tough to hatch in an incubator, so I guess time will tell , huh!

 

[mrheinz77]

Quote:
Yup, my mother in law and brother in law own a hosta nursery, In The Country Garden and Gifts. I like to hybridize but don't have nearly the time to do it lately as I would like.

 

[mrheinz77]

Duplicate post. Don't know what happened.

 

[karimw]

Quote:
I can still help you with the Iowa Blues if you like, I'm planning to sell some of my adult flock to make room for the babies growing up.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

How's that incubator coming along, Jim? I forgot to ask you what kind of thermostat you are using?