Incubators Anonymous

[Heatherschix]

here is a broody thread that has more experienced BYC members

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread/5130#post_13665969

 

[Arielle]

I've had two broody hens this year and they honestly left a bad taste in my mouth. My first one was excellent, always came back to her nest etc. loved her babies but my other hens attacked and killed two of them....even though the chicks were 3 weeks old (my fault mostly, went in the house for no more than 5 min). They were free range so it wasn't like they were cramped up and they have been in a "look but not touch pen inside the adult flocks hen house for their whole life, so idk what the deal was there.

My 2nd one wouldn't go back to her same nest and wouldn't cover all the eggs (she's a full grown cochin and she had 8 silkie eggs) even though they were all developing, and then when they started to hatch she killed the first one (quickly took the rest and put them in the hatcher when I saw that).

I think if I let any in the future hatch, I'm going to have to have my own little broody pen/space and keep them in this "broody house", lol, till the hen wants doesn't want them anymore. Seems like just going through the integration process when they are older is the less painful route with my flock. My four April babies were accepted almost instantly but they were also "see but not touch" for a month at least.

A good broodie needs to be marked as sacred. Not all hens have the ability to be good moms, just part of natures selection process. I have one muscovy hen that will not ever get eggs again if I can help it. OTherwise I have 2 hens which aree vigilent, and one turns into a hissing snak and winglifted , tail up m king her look huge and vicious. Hard to get near HER babies, much more work. Over the years a graded my sheep mommas and selected from the better mommas-- 20 years later it pays off.

Wow
Quote: ROFL -- if we all work together . . .

 

[ladycat]

A turkey egg is pipped!

These are shipped eggs.

 

[TherryChicken]

A turkey egg is pipped!

These are shipped eggs. 

woohoo

 

[ki4got]

Hello my name is Heather and I plan to be a future addict...lol

I was wondering if anyone has tried anything like this....

https://www.lehmans.com/p-1273-kerosene-powered-chicken-egg-incubator.aspx

I live off the grid and I'm looking for a way to incubate and not to put a drain on the household battery bank.

Thanks for any help...

depending on what your solar output and battery capacity is, you could possibly go with a 12v 'incukit' from incubator warehouse and purchase the Styrofoam shell from GQF (makers of hovabator) to use with it... I'd have to double check mine, but I believe it runs just 25 watts. you could set it up with it's own battery and solar panel and be good to go in short order. the auto turners are usually 110 but you might be able to find a 12v motor to replace the 110 with. otherwise turn by hand.

another option is to get some chronically broody breeds. silkies are popular, but I prefer my LF broodies since they can handle more eggs/chicks than a silkie can.

this girl has a home for life. she started with 30, I sold off 4 and a snake got 2, then another broody quit and she took all those chicks too. I've sold a few here and there, and these pics don't show ALL the chicks she's got, but it gives you an idea...




I think nearly all of them are in hubby's lap (practically) in this pic.

oops wrong pic. LOL (the turkeys belong to the cochin momma to the left LOL)



still not all of them, but again most...
she's got 11 buff/red cochins, 2 blue cochins and an unknown number of Swedish flower hens. the silver laced cochins were rejected, as was the splash cochin on the right, who had belonged to the other broody, but are old enough to do pretty well on their own.

 

[Heatherschix]

depending on what your solar output and battery capacity is, you could possibly go with a 12v 'incukit' from incubator warehouse and purchase the Styrofoam shell from GQF (makers of hovabator) to use with it... I'd have to double check mine, but I believe it runs just 25 watts. you could set it up with it's own battery and solar panel and be good to go in short order. the auto turners are usually 110 but you might be able to find a 12v motor to replace the 110 with. otherwise turn by hand.

another option is to get some chronically broody breeds. silkies are popular, but I prefer my LF broodies since they can handle more eggs/chicks than a silkie can.

this girl has a home for life. she started with 30, I sold off 4 and a snake got 2, then another broody quit and she took all those chicks too. I've sold a few here and there, and these pics don't show ALL the chicks she's got, but it gives you an idea...




I think nearly all of them are in hubby's lap (practically) in this pic.

oops wrong pic. LOL (the turkeys belong to the cochin momma to the left LOL)



still not all of them, but again most...
she's got 11 buff/red cochins, 2 blue cochins and an unknown number of Swedish flower hens. the silver laced cochins were rejected, as was the splash cochin on the right, who had belonged to the other broody, but are old enough to do pretty well on their own.

Great info thanks! Seems to me that 110 watt for a turner is a bit excessive...I bet I can do better.

Excuse my noobieness, what breed is a LF broody hen?

I am so hoping my husband embraces the chicken culture like your husband seems to have done in these pictures....love it! He did perk up when I told him I wanted to build a brooder like the Amish use. He may even get involved

 

[Heatherschix]

A turkey egg is pipped!

These are shipped eggs.

 

[ladycat]

Another turkey egg is pipped!

 

[ki4got]

Quote: LOL some large fowl (LF) breeds have a tendency to go broody. my red dorking girl is the momma pictured at the top. buff orpingtons are also well known for their broodiness. I've also had my blue laced red Wyandotte girl (not in the pics) go broody last year, but she hasn't yet this year. my bantam cochins tho are chronic about it. turkeymomma is well known for her tendencies, I've got a mottled girl on her second set of chicks this year and another girl is being broody for her first time, waiting on more chicks to hatch.

I hatch everything myself in the incubators then choose which girl to give them to. that saves me a ton of work, and once they're old enough to free range, saves a bunch of food too.

oh and the turner is 110volts (not watts) but runs on I think maybe 5 watts. that's why I suggested finding a 12v equivalent motor. inverters to convert 110 to 12v are inefficient at best. most likely hand turning in the incubator would be the easiest thing to do. you might check gqf tho, they may make a 12v turner now too. I haven't checked lately.
eta: just checked incubator warehouse (.com) and they also sell a 12v turner motor that can be wired with the incukit. and it's less than 1 watt of power.

 

[Heatherschix]

LOL some large fowl (LF) breeds have a tendency to go broody. my red dorking girl is the momma pictured at the top. buff orpingtons are also well known for their broodiness. I've also had my blue laced red Wyandotte girl (not in the pics) go broody last year, but she hasn't yet this year. my bantam cochins tho are chronic about it. turkeymomma is well known for her tendencies, I've got a mottled girl on her second set of chicks this year and another girl is being broody for her first time, waiting on more chicks to hatch.

I hatch everything myself in the incubators then choose which girl to give them to. that saves me a ton of work, and once they're old enough to free range, saves a bunch of food too.

oh and the turner is 110volts (not watts) but runs on I think maybe 5 watts. that's why I suggested finding a 12v equivalent motor. inverters to convert 110 to 12v are inefficient at best. most likely hand turning in the incubator would be the easiest thing to do. you might check gqf tho, they may make a 12v turner now too. I haven't checked lately.
eta: just checked incubator warehouse (.com) and they also sell a 12v turner motor that can be wired with the incukit. and it's less than 1 watt of power.

Large fowl...of course. So many acronyms, so little time. I will have to see how my girls do. I'm not sure how my breeds do with being mamas, but I just have to give it some time....I'm not even getting eggs yet and I'm chomping at the bit. But that's Ok, it's giving me lots of time to sort things out...happiness is in the journey, right?

I will check out incubator warehouse.com. Sounds like a great place to start.

Thanks so much for your help