little giant 9300

[TheGeekySheep]

I said I would give myself at least a one-week cooling off period with the incubator cleaned and stored in the closet before getting more hatching eggs.

But I bet it doesn't count if I spend time every day looking at the Hatching Eggs section of the Buy/Sell/Trade forums, haha.

 

[only1bgirl]

Just the BST forum what about Ebay and Craigslist? LOL! I'm fighting the urge to candle right now as its only day four. However I did add the glass blobs to the incubator, they seem to help regulate temperature. Not having the drastic changes now. Turner has not arrived yet, so I'm trying prop the incubator up on one side at a 30 degree angle, let you know how that works. I've got to work out a larger brooder, the two chicks are very messy and I'm happy there's not more in it now.

 

[TheGeekySheep]

Surprisingly there's not much in the way of hatching eggs for chickens around me on Craigslist, although there are plenty of guineas and quail. I think I trust the BYC forum members more, and also when I search on eBay I get a bunch of results for cockfighting paraphernalia and it bums me out.

I've got my chicks in a 55-gallon tub brooder in my bathroom, haha. I need to whip up a side-pen adjacent to the coop so that they can grow up next to my hens, maybe there will be less integration drama that way.

 

[only1bgirl]

That's terrible about Ebay, I haven't seen those ads! 55 gallon is a good size, I need a larger tub too! I think your right about building an adjacent pen. If I have chicks hatch out of this clutch I think I'm going to keep seperate brooders going because of the temperature and age difference. Do you vaccinate your birds?

 

[TheGeekySheep]

I don't vaccinate (yet). The property I bought did not have chickens on it prior to me moving in, and the closest person with another flock is a couple hundred yards away. If I ever end up with Marek's I will keep a closed flock and vaccinate all new members.

 

[only1bgirl]

Good to know about vaccinations, I'm torn about whether to do it or not, we have a ton of wild birds around here, not sure if they can carry it or not. Egg turner arrived today, I'm going to put in the incubator and candle quickly. I candled a dozen on day five and it looked like less than half took, not surprising since they were shipped early July when it was hot. Two chicks are growing fast, eating and tearing up their brooder, I need to get them out more often!

 

[only1bgirl]

Quick candle and it looks like ten out of two dozen took, I'm really kind of surprised by this, especially since they were shipped from Florida to Oregon during a heat wave. Two eggs marked chocolate in swirly cursive got me going when I first looked at them I thought they said crocodile, LOL! Egg turner is here really wondering if I should even put it in at day 9 for ten eggs?

In

dependence chicks are doing well!

 

[TheGeekySheep]

No idea about the egg turner but good luck! I've got my fingers crossed that your 10 see it through to hatch. Also cute chickies.

My one-week cooling off period sort of worked. I still want to hatch more but I spent so much time looking at breeds that now I can't decide what eggs I want to get, haha. So I think instead I will watch and see how many pullets/cockerels I end up with and fill in from there, maybe have another hatch later in the summer.

 

[jurczak09]

I'm getting ready for lockdown tomorrow and I had a question. My eggs are in a turner. When I take the turner out should I lay the eggs on their sides to hatch or put them in cut down egg cartons? Does it matter?

 

[TheGeekySheep]

I'm getting ready for lockdown tomorrow and I had a question. My eggs are in a turner. When I take the turner out should I lay the eggs on their sides to hatch or put them in cut down egg cartons? Does it matter?

I have heard both ways. Some people put them in an egg carton so that the tops are approximately the same level as when they were in the turner, which might be something to consider if you have still air, but I think you have circulated air so it shouldn't matter.

And then some people lay them on their sides because that way chicks don't have to work against gravity to hatch. Good luck!