October-hatch-along 2019

[FortCluck]

Yep me to write every thing down.

That egg gives me such an excited feeling.
Al! Mine are in the bator right now. I hope I get something

I'm sure you will. I thought I'd see nothing and overnight there's signs of life.

I have a notebook just for incubation that I put notes in so I can look back at everything then figure out where I can improve.

 

[Don 27]

than ks It's been chilly to day I hope the hen wasn't off them for too long.

 

[Maiahr]

So I'm wondering, those of you who've tried a staggered hatch: has anyone tried adjusting eggs' positions in the bator depending on where they are on their respective timelines? I realized yesterday that the thermometer out at the edge of my bator furthest from the heat element is a good degree colder than the one at the center, so I'm thinking about setting up for First Lockdown with the eggs about to hatch out at that edge (since normally you're supposed to reduce temp slightly at lockdown) and the ones that are three-five days behind directly under the heater. Your thoughts?

I do staggered hatch but I have separate hatchers and at Lockdown I take the eggs out of the incubators and put them in the hatchers (I have 2 DYI hatchers and I always put eggs in both as I prefer to hatch smaller number of eggs in many hatchers, this way I shrink wrap less ). And yes at Lockdown I keep the temp a degree Celsius lower. During incubation I candle and rearrange the eggs in the incubator but not for the temperature - I do it per set date and 'alive Vs questionable'. So the eggs are moved around in the incubator anyway.
The other day I have set my last eggs for this season as all the chicken across the country are molting and many have stopped laying eggs. Then fertility drops to 0 during winter so I will restart in spring. Now that you guys changed my mind about Jersey Giant I am wondering what other fast growing meat chicken should I hatch?

 

[FortCluck]

 

[FortCluck]

I do staggered hatch but I have separate hatchers and at Lockdown I take the eggs out of the incubators and put them in the hatchers (I have 2 DYI hatchers and I always put eggs in both as I prefer to hatch smaller number of eggs in many hatchers, this way I shrink wrap less ). And yes at Lockdown I keep the temp a degree Celsius lower. During incubation I candle and rearrange the eggs in the incubator but not for the temperature - I do it per set date and 'alive Vs questionable'. So the eggs are moved around in the incubator anyway.
The other day I have set my last eggs for this season as all the chicken across the country are molting and many have stopped laying eggs. Then fertility drops to 0 during winter so I will restart in spring. Now that you guys changed my mind about Jersey Giant I am wondering what other fast growing meat chicken should I hatch?

I wouldn't do jersey giant unless you cross it with something. There are several great dual purpose breeds.

Delaware, Rhode Island Red, Black Australorp, Speckled Sussex... All of these are dual purpose that you can hatch. There are several other breeds as well.

 

[john_wrightson2003]

 

[FortCluck]

I think it's so amazing to see the growth. It's hard to get what I see in the egg on camera because I only have my cellphone which gets unfocused a lot.

 

[Maiahr]

Ok, I am not a fan of dual purpose though as my very very small experience shows that they lay small eggs, which do not sell well, less eggs and eventually not much meat after you cull.

 

[igorsMistress]

Dual purpose birds take longer to grow out. Keeping your largest birds that lay well and processing the rest is the way to go.

Hatchery birds are typically smaller than what you'd get from a good breeder and they're bred for egg laying not size. Most people don't start keeping chickens to process their own meat, they're more interested in pets with benefits.

 

[FortCluck]

Ok, I am not a fan of dual purpose though as my very very small experience shows that they lay small eggs, which do not sell well, less eggs and eventually not much meat after you cull.

My red sex links are dual purpose and lay large eggs. My Delaware is dual purpose and lays large eggs as well. They're the eggs that I'm incubating right now.

You dispatch them usually before they even start laying eggs. I keep a flock of layers that I get fertile eggs from and the fertile eggs are what I get my meat chickens from.