incubating eggs

[stacyh40]

So we have had a couple small hatches, but last week the neighbor brought up 72 eggs to go in the incubator. I"m a little freaked out about having that many chicks hatching. anyone else do large hatches before

 

[PD-Riverman]

So we have had a couple small hatches, but last week the neighbor brought up 72 eggs to go in the incubator. I"m a little freaked out about having that many chicks hatching. anyone else do large hatches before

LOL, My wife said did you get the eggs set---I said Yea----she said how many you got in the incubators----I said 949 now. She said OK!! But only usually hatched between 200 and 300 in a week when hatching.

What kind of incubator do you have and do you have a brooder big enough to handle them?

 

[stacyh40]

LOL, My wife said did you get the eggs set---I said Yea----she said how many you got in the incubators----I said 949 now. She said OK!! But only usually hatched between 200 and 300 in a week when hatching.

What kind of incubator do you have and do you have a brooder big enough to handle them?

I have 2 different kinds a cheap chinese made one that holds temp awesome with automatic turner, and then a little giant still air that drives me nuts with the temp. To start with we have 3, 6 ft long stock tanks in the back room of the house till they are feathered out then they will go in the heated barn for awhile.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have 2 different kinds a cheap chinese made one that holds temp awesome with automatic turner, and then a little giant still air that drives me nuts with the temp. To start with we have 3, 6 ft long stock tanks in the back room of the house till they are feathered out then they will go in the heated barn for awhile.

If the little giant has the little turn know on it-----do this before you set it next time----turn the knob all the way(with out forcing) back and forth several times. That helps clear the carbon dust inside the "knob" and should make it more stable-----post back if you do it and it helps----so others can do this. I keep doing mine every 2/3 hatches like that and never had a problem with it being unstable.

If you want you can mark the side of the little knob and a little mark on the incubator next to it so it will be easier to get back to the normal temp setting.

 

[dheltzel]

LOL, My wife said did you get the eggs set---I said Yea----she said how many you got in the incubators----I said 949 now. She said OK!! But only usually hatched between 200 and 300 in a week when hatching.

What kind of incubator do you have and do you have a brooder big enough to handle them?

My wife stopped asking

Bought another 1202 about 2 weeks ago and set 5 trays last weekend (480 eggs). Some of these have poor fertility, so if I get 300 chicks I will be ecstatic.
Buying another incubator this weekend, that will bring me to 5 in use.

So, in response to the original poster, several of us have experience with large hatches. Do you have any particular questions we can help with?

 

[PD-Riverman]

My wife stopped asking

Bought another 1202 about 2 weeks ago and set 5 trays last weekend (480 eggs). Some of these have poor fertility, so if I get 300 chicks I will be ecstatic.
Buying another incubator this weekend, that will bring me to 5 in use.

So, in response to the original poster, several of us have experience with large hatches. Do you have any particular questions we can help with?

Just for Info---I have had fertility problem pop up but quickly got it under control so I would not loose a lot of eggs. If you are interested start another post I will tell you how I fixed it. Don't want to steal this post.

 

[stacyh40]

If the little giant has the little turn know on it-----do this before you set it next time----turn the knob all the way(with out forcing) back and forth several times. That helps clear the carbon dust inside the "knob" and should make it more stable-----post back if you do it and it helps----so others can do this. I keep doing mine every 2/3 hatches like that and never had a problem with it being unstable.

If you want you can mark the side of the little knob and a little mark on the incubator next to it so it will be easier to get back to the normal temp setting.

Thank you for the advice I will try that after this batch is done

 

[stacyh40]

My wife stopped asking 
Bought another 1202 about 2 weeks ago and set 5 trays last weekend (480 eggs). Some of these have poor fertility, so if I get 300 chicks I will be ecstatic.
Buying another incubator this weekend, that will bring me to 5 in use.

So, in response to the original poster, several of us have experience with large hatches. Do you have any particular questions we can help with?

No particular question at this time , just wondering if others set that many eggs, and if setting so many eggs do you keep them all or do you sell the chick or for personal consumption I guess would be some questions I have now

 

[dheltzel]

No particular question at this time , just wondering if others set that many eggs, and if setting so many eggs do you keep them all or do you sell the chick or for personal consumption I guess would be some questions I have now

I try to sell all the chicks I can. When sales drop off in summer, I start growing out stock for next year's breeders, or to sell as older pullets.

 

[stacyh40]

Quote:
OK sounds like what i was thinking after all the eggs were given to me to hatch. They were free so i guess what i get from them is a plus for me.