Incubators Anonymous

[ozexpat]

can i ask nosey questions...

I remember that you usually have a bunch of different breeds of chicks, so with 236 in the grow out pen, how do you mark them to make sure that the markers don't slip off or come undone? also how do you catch them? just get in there and chase them around or do you have a special method.. I have started doing all chick sorting in the growout pen at night with a flashlight..

I use zip ties - 12 colors.

These guys will be due Coryza vaccine in 3 weeks. We will box them up in cages pre dawn. They will get vaccinated and have their leg bands replaced.

3 weeks later the process will be repeated. The interval in the vaccination schedule is the perfect time to wait to replace leg bands in a growing chicken.

I like to perform manual/visual inspections for external parasites at the same times.

Most of these are cross breds I am growing to point of lay to donate to my chicken mission. I need 80 pullets and 40 cocks.The remainder will be eaten. We will begin culling at 15 weeks of age - a rooster a day - my workers will be fat from chicken

 

[Arielle]

I don't use that first bator. I don't even remember how the turner worked on that one. Maybe I used the motor with the rotisserie since it was smaller??????? We must have used it for parts cuz the turner is not on it anymore.

I did wonder if it have been repurposed . . . . as you had moved on to bigger and better things. lol

Arielle I just find them gorgeous and muscovies are just magnificent

I like that they add beauty with out adding noise. CHickens are noisy-- correct that, the roosters are noisy. THe turkeys are very quiet except for the occassional gooble-gobble, and th muscovies bearly hiss. THeir wiggle tails are endearing though. Hope you can find more nearer to you.

 

[DMRippy]

I need to sell it or give it away. Not much too it now. Just some light fixtures and insulation. I still have the egg turner trays. I may just burn it.

 

[Runawaylobster]

I use zip ties - 12 colors.

These guys will be due Coryza vaccine in 3 weeks. We will box them up in cages pre dawn. They will get vaccinated and have their leg bands replaced.

3 weeks later the process will be repeated. The interval in the vaccination schedule is the perfect time to wait to replace leg bands in a growing chicken.

I like to perform manual/visual inspections for external parasites at the same times.

Most of these are cross breds I am growing to point of lay to donate to my chicken mission. I need 80 pullets and 40 cocks.The remainder will be eaten. We will begin culling at 15 weeks of age - a rooster a day - my workers will be fat from chicken

what a good idea, i'm going to try that, and i am getting close to fowl pox vaccines very soon as well..

 

[ozexpat]

what a good idea, i'm going to try that, and i am getting close to fowl pox vaccines very soon as well..

Mine get Mareks and Fowl Pox while still in the brooder

 

[Tuhmu]

You are good with that schedule as the eggs will have a pretty even time over the course of several days. Hope you do try to build a coolerbator at some point. Handy to have when needed as a back up and adventure to make it too.

Started collecting the parts today, got the fan and thermostat ordered. Going cooler shopping tonight and will pick up the light sockets, very excited for it! If all goes well with it, I will regret paying all the money for my brinsea!

 

[Arielle]

I need to sell it or give it away. Not much too it now. Just some light fixtures and insulation. I still have the egg turner trays. I may just burn it.

You put so much effort into it------ well it will live on in pictures!! lol

Quote: Naaa, good to have both. The brinsea taught you many of the details you need when callibrating your homemade incubator; the brinsea was a good stepping stone. Use one for a hatcher, and one for an incubator.

If I might suggest-- spend more time planning the layout than constructing it. Take pics and show us your handy work!!

 

[TherryChicken]

Arielle thank you me too

 

[Tuhmu]

You put so much effort into it------ well it will live on in pictures!! lol

Naaa, good to have both. The brinsea taught you many of the details you need when callibrating your homemade incubator; the brinsea was a good stepping stone. Use one for a hatcher, and one for an incubator.

If I might suggest-- spend more time planning the layout than constructing it. Take pics and show us your handy work!!

I will technically have three, my brinsea, the cooler bator, and I ordered a farm innovator to use as a hatcher. Which isn't the end of the world.

Plan on hatching a lot of my own eggs next year when I get the breeds I want. (Just separated my white call ducks from my grey drakes, so I can get some of those in there in 3 weeks or so. Have one week left to go before I can start collecting my buff brahma eggs, they were mixed with my other roosters). This staggered hatching, getting babies every week is just amazing! Can't get enough of this picture from Sally Sunshine's guide!!!!


Thinking of going with a 48 qt. cooler, any input there? I haven't been to the store to see the options, but I saw that one of those is fairly reasonably priced on amazon.

 

[gander007]

I just put 236 chicks into their new grow out pen

100 in the brooder and 200 in the bator.

Something is going to give....

I'm thinking the feed bucket ,,,,, well you will be busy just feeding and watering them all day long ....