Setting and hatching in December? Come join us! - Holiday Season hatch-along

[chicken pickin]

Good luck! You will enjoy the turner. I turned them by hand for a while and enjoyed it but it is easier to keep humidity and temps even because you don't have to open the lid as much with a turner. I'm locking down a mix of 36 OE, EE, BO and some not sures tomorrow morning in an old Hova Bator with a turner that I'm using for the first time.
Getting a little off subject....look what I found in one of my brooders this morning.

SO cute!!!! Good thing you have a good little kitty I would have freaked lol.

I also will be using a hova bator with a turner.

 

[chicken pickin]

Congratz on joining the hatching craziness it is so much fun! do you have a source of Turkey eggs?

I do! I have Bourbon Reds that I plan on breeding this spring. I will sell some poults and grow out others to feed my family.

 

[Little Wing]

SO cute!!!! Good thing you have a good little kitty I would have freaked lol.

I also will be using a hova bator with a turner.

I would have freaked out but this kitten has slept around the brooders since we got it because he loves the heat lamp as much as the chicks do. So far they get along great.

I hope he is not just being nice until they fatten up a little.

 

[weaversfarm]

My cats and dogs would have eaten every chick if they could get to them. That is why the brooder is set up in another room with a door on it. I don't trust any of them. You are lucky to have a cat that likes the chicks, wish mine would be like that, then I wouldn't have to worry about my chicks being eaten or batted around by the cats till they died.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Woke up to 2 eggs pipped. After I collect this afternoon I'll be setting everything in my stockpile tonight

 

[ButchGood]

I have a large Buff Orp that decided the end of November was a good time to go broody. I couldn't break her of it so I said what the heck. I have a empty turkey coop and run right now, so I moved her and 7 Buff Orp X Australorp eggs in there with her. They are due to hatch Dec. 15. We candled 2 eggs last night. one you can make out some veining, The other just a dark mass. The broody hen looks the kind not to come off the nest for anything. I have food and water close, so she doesn't have to go far. Today I noticed she was spraddled. Legs out both sides. I felt sorry for her so I picked her up and massaged her legs a bit. Her leg muscle is definitely reduced. I put her out in the middle of the run. She sat there for a while. She stood up. When she tried to walk she let out a loud BOOCCK BOOCKBOCK like she was being attacked. My guess is it hurt to walk or her legs were asleep. She slowly came around and walked around, ate some grass and some yogurt. She scratched a bit dusted a little and in 10 min. was on the eggs again.
The bottom of her nesting box is a little slick, plastic/fiberglass. So while she was out I moved her eggs, pushed the nesting material aside, and put some material down that provides better traction. I built the nest back and placed the eggs back in the nest. Shes on them now. Gonna check in a few hours to she if she's spraddled again.

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

I have a question for some of you, How trust worthy are 6 month old chickens when they go broody? Past 2 days my chicken "yummy" has decided she's queen of the golf balls and pulled them all under her. They are to get first timers to lay eggs where I want them. Didn't expect her to go broody.
I am thinking when it comes time for lock down maybe the day before moving her inside and giving her a few of the eggs to hatch. That way I think i could put the rest of the babies that hatch under her and not need a heat lamp.
Anyone know if that is even worth trying?

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Every hen is different, just watch her and see what she does. Setting 35 more eggs today 31 chicken 1 "pullet" cayuga duck 2 turkey and a lone banty egg

 

[MapleLeaf86]

I just turned my little eggs again. I get so nervous doing it. How do so many folks do this by hand? I'm so afraid of breaking the little eggs! Getting to feel the warmth of them for a few seconds is nice though.

 

[chicken pickin]

My husband Is picking up all my eggs as I type this from local people. I stressed how careful he needs to handle my hatching eggs But he thinks Im being overly cautious. I really hope he listens and handles them very gently. I cant wait til they come so I can look them over and number them all to keep track of everything.

How do you all handle your eggs before putting them in the incubator regaurding disinfecting. Should I do that and if so the only thing I have on hand is bleach, I read you can put them in a bleach water solution. But is it neccessary?