The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Having a good hatch. some of the chicks are project chicks. I just put some in the brooder cabinet and the others are still in the brooder boxes drying off and fluffing up.

Congratulations, and hoping the remainders come through for you!

I set the 30 eggs from you last night. Only 20 more days to go...

 

[cmom]

I have another male I'm going to do one last test hatch from. I culled out a lot of the girls from his coop and pen so there is now a more manageable number of females with him in there. I just didn't have the space and there are still a few more females in with him than I would like. Since I also sell eggs for eating I haven't been too concerned about the birds in that coop and pen as far as numbers. I still cull for the SOP. The females that definitely won't male the cut get sold to people who don't care and just want pretty birds for eggs. Selling the eggs helps to offset the feed bill and since I don't sell the chicks, but they still eat plenty.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

My first are due to hatch soon. Then I will start some from my #2 cockerel before he moves to his new lot in life. Either sold or whatever! I will need to room for the breeder chicks to grow out. I'm way behind this year on everything, in and out.

Fred got the first fertile eggs and then we split the next set which is due hatching soon.

I'm anxious to see what the second cockerels hatch look like. But am getting fewer eggs from hens in with him because the nest box is low near front and they are stepping on them clamoring for the door before I get them out. Can't hatch cracked eggs! Going to have to make a top for it.

 

[cmom]

My first are due to hatch soon. Then I will start some from my #2 cockerel before he moves to his new lot in life. Either sold or whatever! I will need to room for the breeder chicks to grow out. I'm way behind this year on everything, in and out.

Fred got the first fertile eggs and then we split the next set which is due hatching soon.

I'm anxious to see what the second cockerels hatch look like. But am getting fewer eggs from hens in with him because the nest box is low near front and they are stepping on them clamoring for the door before I get them out. Can't hatch cracked eggs! Going to have to make a top for it.

Good luck on your hatch.

My last hatch for the season is just about over. The chicks were due to hatch yesterday, which most did but there are still a few hatching and some pips. I'm also playing the moving game too, to make room for this years chicks. I have some in the chick/grow-out coop but have some adult birds in a chick/grow-out coop that need to be moved, so we just built a new coop. I also have Leghorns, they are in the new coop while we renovate their coop. I was in your shoes last year and got a very late start hatching but doing better this year.

 

[Fred's Hens]

My first are due to hatch soon. Then I will start some from my #2 cockerel before he moves to his new lot in life. Either sold or whatever! I will need to room for the breeder chicks to grow out. I'm way behind this year on everything, in and out.

Fred got the first fertile eggs and then we split the next set which is due hatching soon.

I'm anxious to see what the second cockerels hatch look like. But am getting fewer eggs from hens in with him because the nest box is low near front and they are stepping on them clamoring for the door before I get them out. Can't hatch cracked eggs! Going to have to make a top for it.

Nanny and I double up on some of these duties. It's a big help to compress the season and not having to still be hatching in summer. Nanny, I've got pipping going on here today and really am anxious to have a quality hatch.

I'm glad you're hatching off that #2 cockerel. Keep that #1 male busy too!!! I'll bring you that turner, it'll help you I suppose?

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I love my turners.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

I love my turners.

What kinds are they?

 

[cmom]

Quote:
They will fit any styrofoam incubator. I have both Little Giant and Hova-Bator styrofoam incubators. I rarely use them except to hatch in, because I use my cabinet incubator to incubate in and usually only hatch in the spring, but I think I will do a small project hatch so I will use one of the styrofoam instead of the cabinet. It's coop cleaning day today. The temperature is nice out today, not too hot.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

​

They will fit any styrofoam incubator. I have both Little Giant and Hova-Bator styrofoam incubators. I rarely use them except to hatch in, because I use my cabinet incubator to incubate in and usually only hatch in the spring, but I think I will do a small project hatch so I will use one of the styrofoam instead of the cabinet. It's coop cleaning day today. The temperature is nice out today, not too hot.

I see. It's similar to my pair of GQF 1611's. I love them because they turn the eggs slowly (1 full revolution every 4 hours), but mostly because it doesn't require a controller.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I enjoy building incubators and hatchers. One of these days, should I ever come across a stash of Redwood, I would like to build a knock off of one the famous incubators from the golden era. Someday. Redwood is an amazing wood for holding temp and humidity well.

Meanwhile, I build lots from Omaha Steak shipping foam boxes. I like the ones big enough to hold these standard turners. Sometimes, I have to gently hacksaw off a row of cups to fit the turner into the incubator, but still. I believe even missing a row, it will still hold 34-36 eggs.

Of course, when you build the hatchers from the Omaha Steak boxes, no turner fitment is required as none is needed.


If I ever do get around to building that redwood cabinet, I'd incorporate these same, common turners into it, I do believe. They work well enough and aren't that prohibitively expensive. Unlike the "Cradle" rocker for my Brinsea. If I didn't like the reliability of the Brinsea so much, I'd never have sprung the $90 for the cradle rocker. My goodness. You can buy two conventional turning trays for the cost of one Brinsea cradle. Spendy. The Brinsea 20 also only holds 24 LF and approx 32 bantam eggs. They're not very big.

Since I only hatch out 80-100 chicks per year, it is hard to justify doing much more than I am already.





Don't forget to toe punch your chicks. If you haven't thought through the "system" and haven't yet gotten a toe punch or haven't yet figured all the combinations that are possible to make symbolic codes from them?
Well, that's something to study this weekend if you have some quiet time.