Incubators Anonymous

[Faraday40]

I had co-broodies a couple times & loved it. The best combo was a little, dedicated silkie hen with a giant 10 lb orp hen. The big gal was clumsy early on, but she provided the "muscle" and protective services. The orp also had a great spread. It came in very handy when the babies quickly grew larger than the silkie.

 

[Faraday40]

My incubator is finally empty.
....and I'm not sure what to do about it.



I've said, "It's my LAST hatch." Of course I've been saying that since May.
I happen to have 3 doz eggs sitting on my counter....... just in case.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I love co-broodies! I had 3 turkey hens raising 2 babies last year and this year, two of those 3 plus a new hen raised 2 more babies together. They've been dubbed the Broody Bunch lol. I have 2 silkie hens working together raising a single chick right now and a showgirl who's babies are done with her but she keeps trying to follow them around. My muscovy duck was broody so I brought home a free, injured duckling from tractor supply for her to raise. She was only half interested and raised it for a week or so then ditched it. The duckling now just follows the showgirl's babies around instead lol.

There's a whole 3 eggs left in my bator. 1 is due today, 1 due next Thursday (peafowl) and one due the Thursday after that. Then I'm done for the year....... I think?

Co-broody pics!

The original broody bunch, Pebbles, Mary, and Princess. Mary unfortunately passed away early this year.

This year's broody bunch, Pebbles, Princess, and Lil. Sweet Pea snuck in from time to time too

And Romeo didn't mind helping to babysit occasionally

Cynthia and Ana (SPR) working together

Ebony and an English orpington sharing eggs

 

[aliciaplus3]

look who managed to hatch one.... ok 2 but one was dead today and she had wondered off leaving the poult so it went into the brooder with my other hatchlings, 4 new ones from the bator today

 

[OneMountainAcres]

My one baby that was due on Thursday hatched late last night. I hate having singles but all the other eggs were infertile. Next Thursday, I have A peafowl egg due and the week after another peafowl egg then my bator will be empty. Hopefully DH let's me keep the peas if they hatch lol

 

[Sammie1441]

A very late joined of me.
I cannot affort the price of incubator, so I made myself 200 eggs and just finish 1000 eggs capacity of incubator.

 

[aliciaplus3]

A very late joined of me.
I cannot affort the price of incubator, so I made myself 200 eggs and just finish 1000 eggs capacity of incubator.

Best of luck hatching! My largest incubator could probably hold upwards of 400 eggs If I wanted to hand turn, whitch I do not, so I have it rigged with 2 stand alone turners that hold 40ish eggs each. That still means it holds more eggs than I Need but so far for a 1934 model it is doing super. 7 more babies out this morning with more to come

 

[Cerenity]

Not sure if I qualify as addicted...yet. But, I was set to start on my first batch of eggs next weekend: a half dozen Buff Orpingtons. But, alas, it was not meant to be. The woman in my area who was going to sell me the eggs had her hens start molting last week and they stopped laying. Accordingly, the HovaBator that is currently in our guest room with a multitude of humidty-gauges and thermometers is still unopened.

Side note: I know that this cannot be the ideal time to be incubating eggs, but, we had some construction in our barn (where the chickens live) and I didn't want chicks in there while all that noise and dust was going on.

I have also been interested in getting some bantams, but had not decided which breed to keep. I found someone online with some bantam Barred Plymouth Rocks, so, nothing quite like combating disappointment with excitement again! The seller said she thinks it will take her a week or two to put the eggs together. So, not exactly my original plan for hatching since they are bantams, but, when life gives you lemons.

Any tips on incubating bantam eggs would be much appreciated. I am trying not to get my hopes up because they will be shipped (I was going to pick up my orpington eggs fairly locally), but, I know there are some more experienced folks here with good ideas.

 

[Compost King]

I know that this cannot be the ideal time to be incubating eggs,

Other than those who live in a bitter cold climate I see this as the best time to incubate eggs. The Pullets will mature into laying after the days are longer than the nights (March 21) and before they days start getting shorter (June 21).. My problem with some spring chickens is that they often mature as days are getting shorter and when days are shorter than night. This can lead to delaying the Point of Lay.
Incubating is addicting, I did my first hatch in March of 2018 with the hatch day being April 1. I have hatched once a month (some months twice) ever since. I end up eating a lot of cockerels and selling chicks/Chickens to make room for the next hatch to grow up.

 

[FredsGobblers]

The seller said she thinks it will take her a week or two to put the eggs together.

Ideally you want your eggs less than 10 days old. Hatch rates start dropping after 10 days, plus shipping stress added to older eggs. If it does take 2 weeks to gather and 4 days for shipping, you would be looking at 18 day old eggs on the oldest.
Something to think about. Maybe can get smaller amount to start with and try.
I have never hatched shipped eggs but I can attest to the fact incubating and hatching is addictive.