Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Tanichca]

This is my Best Friend, with my 4yo brother Isaac. He's a big boy at just four months old! (And Isaac is still learning how to hold the chickens. He likes the bantams more, they're more his size, instead of being, y'know, his size.

)

 

[Kassaundra]

He's a young TURK, for Pete's Sake! What did you expect for his first event...this?

 

[ChickyChickens]

my last two naked neck pullets started laying

Congrats!!!

 

[Turk Raphael]

A little off topic but.......the more I read about incubators, the more confused I get!

Back to topic....I have 26 yearling NN hens and 6 six month old Buckeye cockerels...The best of these birds will be the foundation of my 'meat project'. I also have 7 six month old Buckeye pullets. I'm not seeing where these pullets will be useful to my project and I am considering eating them. The only reason they have lived this long is because they are so BIG and beautiful.

The pullets are no problem....I have plenty of space and feed (they are big eaters) but they also free-range very well. I'm trying to see a down-side to butchering them???????????

My partner says since we have a freezer full of chickens and several capons to butcher later, it might be better to have them alive and not need them, rather than the other way 'round. We'll work out the pullet situation.


**** Any ideas, suggestions or personal reviews of incubators for 25 to 40 chicks at a time?

Thanks in advance...


Turk

 

[draye]

A little off topic but.......the more I read about incubators, the more confused I get!

Back to topic....I have 26 yearling NN hens and 6 six month old Buckeye cockerels...The best of these birds will be the foundation of my 'meat project'. I also have 7 six month old Buckeye pullets.  I'm not seeing where these pullets will be useful to my project and I am considering eating them. The only reason they have lived this long is because they are so BIG and beautiful.

The pullets are no problem....I have plenty of space and feed (they are big eaters) but they also free-range very well.  I'm trying to see a down-side to butchering them???????????  

My partner says since we have a freezer full of chickens and several capons to butcher later, it might be better to have them alive and not need them, rather than the other way 'round.  We'll work out the pullet situation.


[COLOR=FF0000]****[/COLOR] Any ideas, suggestions or personal reviews of incubators for 25 to 40 chicks at a time?  

Thanks in advance...


Turk

Turk I have a big cabinet incubator. It holds almost 300 eggs at a time.

I just pulled out 14 chicks. I had actually set 30 eggs but only 16 were even fertile. I like a hatch of 20 to 30 at a time. I know that it is kind of a waste when it holds so many more, but I look at it this way: if I should want to hatch a bunch at a time for sale then I'll have the room.

I don't think it takes any more electricity than any other. It seems way easier to keep the temp and humidity than the styrofoam incubators. I have never been able to make them work. You can sometimes find the cabinet type for around $300 to $400 used. There is another kind can't think of the name right now but it only holds I think about 20 eggs at a time and runs around $300 new. Never used that type though.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Thanks draye.

I really hate to go down the road of incubators but I think I might have to. The NNs are sometimes broody as are the Buckeyes..(still have 7 pullets).

I've even considered getting about 10 Dark Cornish pullets because they are supposed to be very broody and the broodiness seems to be the main turn-off to some folks.

I might try the DCs ....For one thing, I like the breed and they are a very good meat bird in their own right, but as you know, there are undeniable advantages to having a miserable incubator. My dad has an old home-made one that they bought from a hatchery, in the early 1950s...they keep that thing just hummin' along.

Yes, the idea of driving my eggs 5 hours and retrieving the chicks later has truly crossed my mind...

Turk

 

[Kassaundra]

I have the Brinsea it only does about 20ish depending on how determined you are to creatively place eggs in is you can get a few more. I have constant issues w/ shrink wrapping, others seem to be able to hatch well w/ it w/o the shrink wrapping.

 

[ochochicas]

Last week i ordered a hovabator to hatch some CCL and OE eggs. (No turkens at this time since my rooster is still to young). In about 4 weeks I'll let you know how is worked.

You can find reviews for most of the incubators on line. it seems like the more money you spend, the less complaints the unit will have. I got a small once since I don't want to have the temptation of hatching 100 at a time.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Last week i ordered a hovabator to hatch some CCL and OE eggs. (No turkens at this time since my rooster is still to young). In about 4 weeks I'll let you know how is worked.

You can find reviews for most of the incubators on line. it seems like the more money you spend, the less complaints the unit will have. I got a small once since I don't want to have the temptation of hatching 100 at a time.

Thank you. I've read all the reviews...that's what confounded me!

I don't need a really large one but it needs to be almost idiot proof! On one hand, it seems so simple but I've read the horror stories and it makes me just a bit jumpy. I don't know how dad and Jason makes that piece of junk they have keep working and they get at least 85% hatch rate.

I follow the 'broody thread' and I hear the problems there too.

As a kid, I remember my grand pap didn't mess with the brood hens and they just seemed to crank out biddies, over and over again...no muss-no fuss. I think some folks over-think a problem and that's exactly what I'm doing. I have 'til spring....so I'm going on vacation and put it out of my mind..gonna' put everything out of my mind! Then, I'll get the d####d Dark Cornish pullets and some sort of incubator.


Thanks to all.

Turk

I have to add this...at the end of the day, I will have to come to the understanding that these will just be eggs. At worst, they will still just be eggs.

 

[Kassaundra]

Oh I love broody incubators so much easier to deal with and fun to watch. It is like being the backing truck (ems) on scene all the "fun" none of the paperwork.