Incubators Anonymous

[DMRippy]

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You have found the right place!

 

[ki4got]

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You have found the right place!

LOL won't let yourself? or can't help yourself? is there much difference?

Merry Christmas everyone!

HATCH ON!

 

[DMRippy]

7 Marans pipping.....


Merry Christmas!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Good thing your marans are hatching, I only have one out so far. But I got 16 others that hatched today! Buckeyes, LO, GLW, maybe a few silkies, who knows?:-D Tomorrow I am buying more chickens, the next day will be shipping eggs, then I need to build another coop ! Getting chickens from Donna soon!

 

[DMRippy]

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I think 9 had pipped, one I hatched and I think it has something wrong with its leg and another hatched. I will let you know tonight how many. Just let me know when you are ready

 

[DMRippy]

16 FBCM hatched 1 is still not walking. 5 were drying when I left so we will see if they are all ok in the morning. 7 left that might still hatch.

so if you are counting that is 31 if they all survive.

 

[Arielle]

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well, for one, selecting for bigger birds should result in bigger eggs. and yes, selecting hens that lay larger eggs should also help. of the 2 hens, (don't know which one really) the eggs average 42-45g and 47-50g. so by incubating bigger eggs, that should in turn result in larger eggs down the road, I would think. but right now i'm hatching everything I can, simply because I need birds to start with. I don't plan on culling many hens initially, and will keep 2-3 roos as backups too for 'just in case'. i've heard too many times they culled all but the best roo, then he died. so what then?

the plan is to keep a few trios/quads in breeding pens (i hope to switch to trap nesting down the road too, to track hen progress) and the 2nd and 3rd choice birds will be in an 'egg pen'. everyone else will be culled. so probably 12 good birds for breeding and as many in reserve. I plan to ID by banding so I know sire/dam, so that if a problem crops up I'll know which direction to go...

THere is the old tried and true method of feeling the public bones for width. This tells you the width of the eggs aka size of the eggs.

I agree about the roosters--keeping several back birds up is sensible. Looks like you have a good solid plan to bring this breed along. Lots of reasons to keep hatching, too.

 

[happyhens120]

Hello fellow addicts! I am looking to buy a new incubator... anyone have any suggestions/favorites that I could look into? I read website descriptions but want to know first hand what you love about your incubators.

Thanks!

 

[Arielle]

I officially l shut off my incubators for the winter. It's a relief really.

Would like to build some brooders in the basement to get ready for the next spring. Need to finish winterizing outside first.

Girls seem to be picking up the pace a little. One is in full on molt. Suddenly all her feathers were gone and now she is covered with feathers with the coverings. Just hideous. She still tries to visit the nest boxes. Nothing though. ONe of my best layers. SHe is a favorite.

 

[DMRippy]

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NOT ME.... No no.... still fillin' that bator up! Well, I may take a break when Deb brings me my SLW and DB eggs.... NAH.... then the eggs from the new breeding pens will be good to hatch

Deb... when is that going to be