Late Feburary-Early March 2016 Hatch-A-Long!

[caesargirl]

To assist or not is a personal decision. Many of us have very healthy birds resulting from an assisted hatch.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Quick question. Hubby does NOT like the chicks and is begging me to put the brooder in the garage. He says they're poop and stuff could be bad for our daughter with her sickness. Temps aren't bad here right now. Pretty much fifties and mid forties at night. The garage has a heater but it's just a little one and probably will keep the garage about sixty with the heat cranked. Will they be okay in there with their heat lamp? It's a 250 watt red bulb. Here's a pic of their brooder with the lid and heat lamp taken off.

Poop is not a problem for humans, so put that one to rest.

No, they will not be good in a garage with heat lamp, especially if you put a heat lamp over newspaper...recipe for disaster.

However, dust...OMG, chicks create so much dust you cannot imagine. In 3 weeks, I managed to put 1/4" of dust on top of everything within a 1500 sq.ft. room...so never brood where you live, very bad idea especially if there are any pre-existing breathing issues (e.g. asthma)

That said, they have to have heat during their first 3 weeks (or until they have replaced all their baby fuzz with real feathers). I used brooding plates from Premier 1, https://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=135875&criteria=plate







If you get a plate such as this, you can put them outside (assuming there is no way for a breeze to get under the brooding plate or snow to fall on top). I keep mine in the greenhouse.

 

[NTBugtraq]

To assist or not is a personal decision. Many of us have very healthy birds resulting from an assisted hatch.

I have to ask; "Many of us have very health birds resulting from an assisted hatch" is based on what survey you took? I can appreciate you saying you have had healthy birds resulting from assisted hatches, but you are almost making it sound like assisting is a really good thing...and it isn't.

 

[caesargirl]

I have to ask; "Many of us have very health birds resulting from an assisted hatch" is based on what survey you took? I can appreciate you saying you have had healthy birds resulting from assisted hatches, but you are almost making it sound like assisting is a really good thing...and it isn't.

Like I said. Personal decision. And there are members here who do have success and healthy, productive birds after assisting.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Like I said. Personal decision. And there are members here who do have success and healthy, productive birds after assisting.

"There are members here who have assisted" isn't "many of us"...

But can I ask, have you ever checked whether those assisted chicks laid eggs that resulted in assisted hatches? I don't want to state "survival of the fittest" too strongly, but with something who gestates in 21 days, survival of the fittest does kinda make sense, don't you think? There aren't a lot of traits that breeders care about that matter more than; "Can it hatch?"...

 

[caesargirl]

"There are members here who have assisted" isn't "many of us"...

But can I ask, have you ever checked whether those assisted chicks laid eggs that resulted in assisted hatches? I don't want to state "survival of the fittest" too strongly, but with something who gestates in 21 days, survival of the fittest does kinda make sense, don't you think? There aren't a lot of traits that breeders care about that matter more than; "Can it hatch?"...

Yes, I have flock members that I assisted in hatch that have hatched their own. UNassisted. As for many, lots or any other qualifier used, I have had (open qualifier here) members help when I've needed it. As have others. You don't assist. Understood. I do. When I first came to BYC, it was for help with an assisted hatch. Thankfully there was an incredible member here who specialized in it. She walked me through. That duck is alive and strong. And has several of her own successful clutches. I assist. You do not. To each their own.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: I have found that the majority of my chicks and ducklings that need assisting are the ones I incubate. Those that I don't sell have very few problems hatching their own.

Quote: I also assist and have noticed that the ones I have to assist are the ones I incubate, not the ones the hens and ducks incubate. Obviously my incubation skills need improvement,

-Kathy

 

[NTBugtraq]

I have found that the majority of my chicks and ducklings that need assisting are the ones I incubate. Those that I don't sell have very few problems hatching their own.
I also assist and have noticed that the ones I have to assist are the ones I incubate, not the ones the hens and ducks incubate. Obviously my incubation skills need improvement,

-Kathy

Kathy, how do you assist something you don't incubate?
(Edit)...lolz, my bad, but that you have to assist those you incubate and not those that are incubated by your birds...you don't think that suggests you are doing something they don't need to?

 

[casportpony]

Quote: My skills with my incubators need improvement, that's no secret. If I had enough broodies around I wouldn't even try using the incubators, but I don't. Most of my broody chickens are small, so they can't cover more that 4-5 pea eggs, and my Muscovy Ducks make nests in really bad places. Those pea eggs that I stick under hens hatch in 26-27 days, and most don't need assisting. 98% won't need assisting.

-Kathy

 

[NTBugtraq]

My skills with my incubators need improvement, that's no secret. If I had enough broodies around I wouldn't even try using the incubators, but I don't. Most of my broody chickens are small, so they can't cover more that 4-5 pea eggs, and my Muscovy Ducks make nests in really bad places. Those pea eggs that I stick under hens hatch in 26-27 days, and most don't need assisting. 98% won't need assisting.

-Kathy

So if you could convince your broodies to do what you do???