Incubators Anonymous

[maryhysong]

box em up & ship them to my place in new hampshire
i'll toss them in with the rest in the jumbo brooder & i'll probably not even know there are any extra in there
i have just stopped counting chicks
it's really just pointless
i just say "i have a bunch"
that tends to cover it


piglett

I was keeping careful count of my chickens and ducks, keeping track of how many went to freezer camp and how many hatched..... but somewhere along the line I lost track. I know there were 101 and then some hatched and then I sold some and then some more hatched and then I ate some and then some more hatched and then I sold some..... so now I am totally confused!

 

[piglett]

aw shucks Oz, I'm a newbie when it comes to this really, just started hatching last fall. BUT I found an awesome redwood incubator and since I figured out how to get the humidity UP enough for hatching, it is almost automatic. I do hand turn the eggs tho, as I would have to reset the trays to make room for auto turners. This thing has been running since late Feb and the hatches just keep getting better. Now if only more of them were pullets!

tell me about it , i have 15 cockerels hanging out in the shed till i get a better place for them.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: Remember I had the extra little fan off for most of the hatch but had to turn it on when it got too hot. I move the baskets around as I check everyone so they were not in the same spot all the time. BUT they may have been in the same spot for both batches..... Might have to NOT put a basket in that spot.

I try to sell most of the chicks I hatch... but that is not going great this year. They might have to grow up some and get sold as pullets in a few weeks.

 

[ozexpat]

tell me about it , i have 15 cockerels hanging out in the shed till i get a better place for them.

the better place will inevitably be your stomach

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: Remember I had the extra little fan off for most of the hatch but had to turn it on when it got too hot. I move the baskets around as I check everyone so they were not in the same spot all the time. BUT they may have been in the same spot for both batches..... Might have to NOT put a basket in that spot.

I try to sell most of the chicks I hatch... but that is not going great this year. They might have to grow up some and get sold as pullets in a few weeks.
Is it possible to check air flow to see where the extra fan is blowing? Then you can set up baffles so it doesn't blow directly on the eggs. I think you said it was already "stepped down" from the faster speed?...

Or put a basket with a skull and crossbones picture in that spot - so you don't ever put anything there... Maybe you can put a Tupperware basket with water in it right there. I bet the extra heat would work great for evaporating that water!

 

[DMRippy]

That is a good idea! The fan SUCKS air out so it is not blowing on the eggs or chicks. I put it in that spot to cool that corner that gets too hot. I need to build a new one.... or just have smaller hatches.... NAHAHA... just build a new one.

 

[Runawaylobster]

I have been wondering about refrigeration and setting eggs. I have heard a lot of people hatching store bought eggs.. those are refrigerated and really old.. and they hatch. I once set refrigerated eggs.. and they all hatched (from my own birds, decided to hatch a few for fun many years ago).

I was also wondering because refrigerating the eggs makes the white stiffer.. and maybe that would actually HELP shipped eggs make it without being scrambled? The store bought eggs are transported but I don't think they are flown... its the airplane ride which is really tough on the eggs... but if they were thicker maybe it would help?

I like to wonder about things..

weird isn't it... i write the date on my eggs for eating so i will know exactly if they hatch and how long they were refrigerated.. I"ll let you know

L

 

[maryhysong]

tell me about it , i have 15 cockerels hanging out in the shed till i get a better place for them.

I have been sending them to freezer camp a couple a week. But I hatched 36 chicks and if I am lucky I might have 3 girls in there ;-( tho it's still a bit early to tell, they all have fast wings, big tails and color coming in at 4 weeks and big thick legs too.

 

[ozexpat]

I have been sending them to freezer camp a couple a week. But I hatched 36 chicks and if I am lucky I might have 3 girls in there ;-( tho it's still a bit early to tell, they all have fast wings, big tails and color coming in at 4 weeks and big thick legs too.

what breed?

 

[NinetreesMom]

weird isn't it...    i write the date on my eggs for eating so i will know exactly if they hatch and how long they were refrigerated.. I"ll let you know

L

I am very curious about this too, and the thought about thicker whites for shipping is interesting too. I definitely will watch for your results!