South Carolina

[Patsy29332]

I'm sure I have a couple of loose screws, I'll loan them to you.

RobertH

Congrats!!!!

I WON SOMETHING! LOL...I follow Fresh Eggs Daily's blog and facebook and I got randomly chosen to win some adoreable easter cards

! I never win anything so this is a big deal!! Even better that it's something with adorable chicks on it!

 

[dixiebeast]

COOL BEANS!!!

I WON SOMETHING! LOL...I follow Fresh Eggs Daily's blog and facebook and I got randomly chosen to win some adoreable easter cards

! I never win anything so this is a big deal!! Even better that it's something with adorable chicks on it!

 

[dixiebeast]

Ok...I have been looking at joining the APA and a couple breeders clubs for the breeds I am serious about...which is all of them!!LOL My question is,how many do this and are the benefits worth it...the fees are minimal but I want to hear from members current or past on how it helps!!??

 

[Southern Bee Lady]

Ok...I have been looking at joining the APA and a couple breeders clubs for the breeds I am serious about...which is all of them!!LOL My question is,how many do this and are the benefits worth it...the fees are minimal but I want to hear from members current or past on how it helps!!??

I joined ASBC because it gives me access to silkie breeder information/contacts. I just joined so I will see over the next year how helpful it is.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

I saw that on FB. Congrats!

I WON SOMETHING! LOL...I follow Fresh Eggs Daily's blog and facebook and I got randomly chosen to win some adoreable easter cards

! I never win anything so this is a big deal!! Even better that it's something with adorable chicks on it!

 

[huckleberryfarm]

I've been bottle feeding two little lambs since Tuesday and it's been rough. Thanks to Dixiebeast for her advice! That stinking mom makes me so mad. She just won't take them.

Poor things. They both actually took the bottle for the first time this morning. I hope they make it. It has definitely been a learning experience.

I also have some turkeys! I bought 6 Bourbon Red eggs from someone (I wish I could remember where or who!) and I think they are all good. Three have hatched, one is zipping and the other two are pipped. That's pretty darn good for shipped eggs! Now I need to figure out what to do with them. How soon will you be able to tell girl from boy? I hope it's not like silkies!

We're going to finish up a run and let the lambs play this afternoon once it warms up. I'm sure they'd like out of their pack and play. Enjoy the beautiful day!

 

[phoneman]

have they had any colustrom do you milk the mom and then bottle feed the lambs

I've been bottle feeding two little lambs since Tuesday and it's been rough. Thanks to Dixiebeast for her advice! That stinking mom makes me so mad. She just won't take them.

Poor things. They both actually took the bottle for the first time this morning. I hope they make it. It has definitely been a learning experience.

I also have some turkeys! I bought 6 Bourbon Red eggs from someone (I wish I could remember where or who!) and I think they are all good. Three have hatched, one is zipping and the other two are pipped. That's pretty darn good for shipped eggs! Now I need to figure out what to do with them. How soon will you be able to tell girl from boy? I hope it's not like silkies!

We're going to finish up a run and let the lambs play this afternoon once it warms up. I'm sure they'd like out of their pack and play. Enjoy the beautiful day!

 

[Southern Bee Lady]

Southern Bee Lady can you please share with me how you turned that wine cooler into a incubator? That is truely a wonderful idea. My husband saw that and I believe he called you a thrify genius.

I bought a 42 bottle Haier wine cooler off craigslist. It was supposed to be working but was reasonably priced. This one did not have a fan but I think most will.
If you are lucky you might find one that is not working for free on freecycle.
If you are going to be using egg turning trays, measure carefully. Mine fit exactly on the shelves
and only turned one way. There are designs for turners that should work but I already had the turner trays.

I did a lot of research on several websites (listed below) to find out the best way (for my ability and resources) to do this.

I removed the compressor and all the wiring. As a disclaimer--- It is illegal to release freon into the atmosphere. I had to cut a line to get the compressor out but crimped it and taped it.
Ventilation:
Ventilation is really important.
I drilled 4 holes in the back for ventilation. 2 near top and 2 near bottom. I slid 1/2 Sch 40 PVC into the 4 holes. I used some window caulk to hold them in place. You can buy caps or plugs to close them off (to adjust ventilation) but if I need to, I will use a piece of paper towel. So far, I have not needed to. I kept everything as simple as possible.
Heat:
I purchased 2 light sockets ($5 ea at Ace Hardware) for light bulbs to use as a heat source. I built a mounting bracket to put one light on the top left side. The other one is in the bottom. I drilled a hole to mount it. There are a lot of different types of light sockets available so the mounting method would depend on the type that is purchased.
There is also a 11 inch flex heating tape that is available from incubator warehouse or ebay. I like the light bulbs because I can see if they are working when I walk by.
I tried different bulbs. 2-60 watt bulbs worked for me.
Fans:
You will need two fans. Computer fans work great with a 12 volt converter. I mounted one fan in the front top (with a spacer behind it to allow air flow) blowing down. I only had one computer fan on hand so I used a small 6 in. fan that came from Walmart (last year-$6) for my second fan. I placed it on the top shelf and turned it blowing down also. I tried it in several different directions until I found out which way would hold the temp. the same on the lower shelves and upper shelves.
Thermostat:
For my thermostat, I used a hot water heater thermostat ($8-$10) and drilled it per Rush Lane Poultry Youtube video. This improves the accuracy. I was rushed on getting this incubator working....so I used what was readily available. There are some great thermostat controller available on the internet...just higher priced ($20-$90).

I mounted a power strip to the back of the wine cooler to plug everything into.
I drilled a hole large enough in the back to run all my cords thru....fans, egg turners, power cord for lights.

Wine cooler shelves are made to hold the wine at a slight angle. I turned my shelves upside down and the egg turners set better. I can only get 3 egg turner in it with the shelves turned upside down. If I decide to use all 5 shelves, I will modify the shelves some how.

These are the websites with info I used.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/460135/tall-homemade-cabinet-style-incubator-heat-fan-question
post #3 Three Cedars Silkies.. I copied her hatcher design.
I contacted her...."The only advice I have for the wine cooler incubator is to be sure you have several large ventilation holes and the top and bottom. And make sure your turners fit if you use turners. Other than that...nothing. I LOVE mine!!"
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winecooler-bator

The wiring diagram for the hot water heater thermostat. It is not necessary to take the thermostat apart to drill it (Rush Lane video does not), but I did use this guys wiring diagram. I am experienced with electrical wiring----if you are not, get someone that is experienced with wiring to do the wiring. I covered the connection screw on the thermostat with electrical tape for safety.
http://www.webpal.org/SAFE/aaarecovery/1_farm_recovery/ftpfiles/HOMEMADE INCUBATOR.pdf

These sites have some good ideas.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/geosheetss-chicken-incubator
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?140615-Wine-Cooler-to-Incubator-Conversion


Hopefully I did not leave anything out. If you have any question, let me know.



I have a piece of paper towel in the large hole that the wires come thru. I will replace that today with a piece of insulation.

computer fan mounted to top. light bulb behind hot water heater thermostat. ventilation hole visible on right side


Bottom light bulb mounted and bowl of water for humidity.

 

[Southern Bee Lady]

Yancy, love the chicks.
Congratulations Lauren.

 

[phoneman]

if you want to sex the turkeys or chicks i have sexed turkeys,chickens and pheasants with about 100% acuratecy.you have to do this the first few days after hatch. take a small string and a metal nut or bolt take the string about a foot and a half long and double it ty a knot. slip the the sting through the hole in nut or washer. put the string on your first finger with the other hand hold the turkey let the nut hang about 1 inche above the bird holding your hand very still and take another finger and gently let the nut swing back and forth over the back of the bird if the bolt swings straight back and forth it will be a male. if it starts back and forth and then starts going in a circle its a girl. try it you have nothing to lose good luck

I've been bottle feeding two little lambs since Tuesday and it's been rough. Thanks to Dixiebeast for her advice! That stinking mom makes me so mad. She just won't take them.

Poor things. They both actually took the bottle for the first time this morning. I hope they make it. It has definitely been a learning experience.

I also have some turkeys! I bought 6 Bourbon Red eggs from someone (I wish I could remember where or who!) and I think they are all good. Three have hatched, one is zipping and the other two are pipped. That's pretty darn good for shipped eggs! Now I need to figure out what to do with them. How soon will you be able to tell girl from boy? I hope it's not like silkies!

We're going to finish up a run and let the lambs play this afternoon once it warms up. I'm sure they'd like out of their pack and play. Enjoy the beautiful day!