The Never Ending Hatching thread! For those of us that hatch all year long!

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Well this is incarnation 4 i think lol. Moving on from the December setting and on to what we will be setting now into the next months. Ive got another 18 to set tonight (I may have more if i venture out in the mud again to check tonight lol) and a bunch going into lockdown tonight. Gotta keep the bator full right? Hahahaha. Pull up a chair and hatch along with us, or just enjoy watching us crazies hatch like crazy!

 

[Roxannemc]

Am new to chickens and just curious... Is everyone that is hatching intending to sell their eggs and/or chickens or keeping them? Maybe all of the above. Of course I would love to expand after only having my chicks for 3 months. Just not sure which direction I want to go yet. Thanks for sharing :>

Well not that old to chickens ...last spring had 10 then got an incubator then another and now i have 26 chickens and eggs in and more eggs coming...so hatching is VERY addicting.
BE WARNED!!!
I bought the hatching eggs to hatch b/c i love how these breeds and colors look .They are a joy... but yes the goal now to sell chicks and eggs locally
kelly many many ppl on here are new to chickens just within the last year.. and to hatchng.
WELCOME if you do! And

 

[Little Wing]

Well not that old to chickens ...last spring had 10 then got an incubator then another and now i have 26 chickens and eggs in and more eggs coming...so hatching is VERY addicting.
BE WARNED!!!
I bought the hatching eggs to hatch b/c i love how these breeds and colors look .They are a joy... but yes the goal now to sell chicks and eggs locally
kelly many many ppl on here are new to chickens just within the last year.. and to hatchng.
WELCOME if you do! And

X2 We bought 6 chickens and built 1 pen last January to have fresh eggs for the grandkids. In less than a year we've gone to at least 50 chickens in 6 pens, 45 in brooders, 51 in incubators and 21 in lockdown. If you have an addictive personality, run, run very fast, it will get you!

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Marine how will you move with so many chickens chicks etc.For me it would be a nightmare!

Generator and power inverter to keep the chicks warm. Coop was built to fit on a roll-back trailer as was the storage barn. The big run breaks down at the corners and fits in the storage barn. Bantam run fits in the barn as a whole unit. Moving is always a nightmare. If things play out right this may be the last move I ever make... gawd i hope so anyways lmao. I truly despise moving.


anyways, ducky and turkey pics!

 

[ozexpat]

Based on your cig , i'm going to flip the fan and test it out.. it will only take a few minutes to do..

thanks so much for taking the time to advise

First thing I do is toss the plugs. I do a dry hatch then up the humidity for lock down.

Plugging the holes may be an easier way to control the environment but chicks pip to get fresh air. Once they rest and breath for a while, they zip and get out. You really want the maximum oxygen content in your bator.




I fill this plastic container up past half way and it lasts through the whole lock down. I then have a tubing I pass into the tray and fill them once or twice as needed. Once the eggs star opening, The humidity does not need assisting unless you have a really staggered hatch.

The best way to control temp is to make sure the room temp is stable. The hovabator seems to be a little thicker than the LG and Farm Innovators but all are quite thin really. A change in temp of the room will stress the thermostat. A rapid increase in humidity such as at lockdown will effect the performance of the cheap thermostats in these bators so keep an eye on the temp and adjust accordingly.

I am moving to an ebay version of the STC-1000 http://www.ebay.com/itm/16080942436...eName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 for my FI Iand LG bators as I find the adjustment not fine enough on the little knob. I leave the current thermostat in place but crank it up to max heat. Then plug the bator into the outlet I put on the Chinese thermostat - it is very accurate and acts as a digital thermometer as well - for less than 14 bucks delivered, its a bargain.

 

[Little Wing]

Awesome! I'm setting 8 OE, 3 Ameraucana 4 EE and 3 mutts tomorrow. I have 21 of my 32 Christmas hatch left. My broody hen went unbroody today with 15 eggs under her and one was zipping. They were all cold so I took the one that was zipping inside and fired up the hatcher. I put it in and let it come up to temp with the hatcher and it started moving but never tried to keep zipping so I helped it but it didn't make it. Guess it too cold for too long.
Sorry about your mud problem, I know how it is. Thanks for starting the new thread! Good luck with your hatches everyone!

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

15 went into lockdown tonight. Ill make a check of the coop and set whatever i get when i get in.

 

[kacklinkelly]

Am new to chickens and just curious... Is everyone that is hatching intending to sell their eggs and/or chickens or keeping them? Maybe all of the above. Of course I would love to expand after only having my chicks for 3 months. Just not sure which direction I want to go yet. Thanks for sharing :>

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

I have now 7 eggs under a broody that are due to hatch this weekend i believe. then i just set some eggs yesterday (6 eggs) in an incubator.
I cannot own a rooster, so i just hatch the chicks in hopes for more pullets. I want more eggs I sell eggs to my cuz in law. and then my mom wants 30 more pullets that I'd like to hatch for her

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Am new to chickens and just curious... Is everyone that is hatching intending to sell their eggs and/or chickens or keeping them? Maybe all of the above. Of course I would love to expand after only having my chicks for 3 months. Just not sure which direction I want to go yet. Thanks for sharing :>

I do both. For breeding stock, for the table and for eating eggs. As well as selling both eggs and chicks.