Maine

[Coldweatherbirds]

Any comments about the Brinsea Octagon? It only hold 24 eggs, but that is the most I want at a time anyway. It's on my holiday wish list, but before someone gets it I want to be sure it's best in it's price range (<$200).

 

[superchemicalgirl]

It is fantastic. Just add water daily to every other day. You need a separate humidity gauge (well you don't NEED it... but it's cool to have). I've had great hatches in mine with minimal effort on my part.

Get it with the auto turner though.


Complaints: the top clear plastic gets kinda dirty nasty and hard to clean. To clean you have to take it apart but the screws are cheap and tend to get the top stripped. You'll need to replace them. No humidity gauge, but again, not really needed, and I got a nice one attached to the side with velcro. The egg holders don't fit real well... but if you shove 24 eggs in there they don't roll... and you don't need them.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

I like the idea of another member on the forum, "Fred's Hens". He keeps 2 flocks, - one flock is young production hens that supply eggs year round, the other is an assortment of nice breeds, what he calls "yard art". If you check out his page, he has a long article about chickens and egg production that I found very informative. Someday, I'd like to try his 2 flock approach.

He has tons of good advice. It was his discussion on "spring chickens" that made me decide to add a few girls next year.

Have you guys checked out the thread "Chickens for Twenty Years or More..." yet? It is incredible (and Fred's Hens is posting tons of great advice there), addictive & informative. I feel like a better chicken owner every time I read it.​

 

[hoppy]

I set up my light this morning.it goes on 3 hours before sunup. I found adding the light in the morning worked better thenlight at night, as in the morning they were already in the coop and had some time to lay before going outside. it doesn't look like I will have eggs for the newyears hatch. I've decided to sell my paint silkie eggs rather then hatch more just yet. still looking for black wyandottes but not having much luck.

 

[buckabucka]

Quote:
I like my Brinsea also. I got a more expensive Octagon 20 advance. I was worried because some people complain they can't keep the humidity up, and the advance comes with the option of adding a humidity pump (I didn't buy the pump, but wanted the option).

The humidity gauge is built in. I took SCG's tip and put a wet washcloth in the water trough. Then I spit water through a straw as needed. It is pretty dry in our house with wood heat, but as long as you are able to add water, I think the pricey humidity pump is unnecessary.

If you are patient, they have good sales prices once in a while. My 20 advance was just under $300, and I've seen the regular octagon 20 for $99.

 

[joanie_maine]

I've been thinking about next Spring's swaps.

I'm assuming that large fowl laying breed pullets/hens wll be in demand.

But I'm wondering about food products.

Is it legal to sell something like quiche or anything else in homemade foods?

Call me crazy

 

[hoppy]

Quote:
I know some people "sell the container" not the milk to get around any problems like that.
(these people sell goats milk)
and yes,large fowl layer pullets are always in demand. I had to just about give away my show quality bantam wyandottes last yr.

 

[kinsey228]

Quote:
I know some people "sell the container" not the milk to get around any problems like that.
(these people sell goats milk)
and yes,large fowl layer pullets are always in demand. I had to just about give away my show quality bantam wyandottes last yr.

I love the banty Wyandotte I bought from you last year. She is the sweetest thing

 

[ejcimd]

I'm wondering since there are a few posts already on incubators already. What would a be a good incubator to start out with.

It doesn't make sense to me to just get the cheapest, nor do I want to sell my left arm for one either.

A nice mid range dependable model for say no more then may 20 or 40 chicks?

Any thoughts?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

The octagon eco is pretty cheap, considering. It says it holds 24 chicken eggs, but I managed to get 28 in there, some were smallish. It's on sale right now for 99.99 on their website and I think there's a coupon code floating around here for an additional 10% off... do a search. The cradle is an additional 49.99... so a decent incubator for 150$. If you have facebook sign up to like them and you'll find out when things go on sale and some additional coupons occasionally.

http://www.brinsea.com/prod-Octagon_20_ECO_egg_incubator-224.aspx