~*Third Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatch-Athon*~ all poultry welcome!

[HEChicken]

the weirdest part is, I haven't even posted the chicks for sale. I've been getting orders for chicks through my hatching egg post. I may raise my price to $5 just to see what the market is with the next hatch. Honestly my business plan was set for starting next year. I haven't even gotten my breeding pens set up. Hence the mutts. Just planned on selling extras that weren't going into my laying flock. The mutts were supposed to be a layer project for me since both groups of hens lay like crazy. I have 8 hens and sometimes get 10-12 eggs a day. And no in natural lighting to produce more.

That sounds like me. I have never marketed but have a waiting list just on word-of-mouth, and I'm having to turn people away because I have a limited number of chicks/poults/ducklings available.

 

[JennaLynn122]

That sounds like me.  I have never marketed but have a waiting list just on word-of-mouth, and I'm having to turn people away because I have a limited number of chicks/poults/ducklings available.

I'm getting close to that. I make sure I tell everyone how many people are in front of them. If it keeps up I'm gonna need either more, or a bigger incubator.

 

[bantambury]

is the only contest that's up the photobomb? haven't been on in a few days due to slicing my hand on broken glass

 

[AmericanMom]

Ok, can I ask where you live? I'm in northern Nevada and today my humidity (outside) is only 21% and it's supposed to rain

. I want to try this, my chickens didn't do so well and I'm worried that it's because of something I did. Then again, my original incubator stopped keeping temp for a whole day and I had to get a new one. Only 1 has hatched from 30 set. They are still on the incubator but I don't see any movement. I'll let them stay there until Monday, just in case, but I'm doubting they'll hatch. I have a duck egg in there too and I just set 5 turkey the 30th. I don't want the turkeys to have the same problem. I'm really worried and killing all those eggs now.

you are probably to dry for complete dry hatch...I am in the Willamette valley in Oregon, smack dab between the coast and the high mountain range.. not completely sure on what our humidity is, but I know its above what yours is... Like I said, I did add a couple sponge strips at lockdown.. Not sure what the humidity is but I am allowing the chicks to hatch and dry for a few hours before moving them to the second incubator so that helps I am sure with keeping humidity up there during hatch :0.. Second chick hatched ..again...no issues..

 

[AmericanMom]

You will need to add water. Humidity goes down with temperature--It would not be a good idea to incubate at 5% humidity. Folks that do not add water are still above 25% during incubation.

No one says to hatch during lockdown and low humidity. You need 65% plus then.

We all live in very different places. The Humid south is completely different from Nevada and conditions change by season.

exactly... My room humidity was around 37% and that was with a space heater running..

I did add the sponges when I locked down, but I didn't fill the reservoirs...Seems I have had more of a problem with too much humidity so I am just monitoring how the chicks do/ hatching conditions, what they look like after they emerge.. So far I think its pretty good..so far...

 

[HEChicken]

I'm getting close to that. I make sure I tell everyone how many people are in front of them. If it keeps up I'm gonna need either more, or a bigger incubator.

I do the same. For me it isn't really a matter a incubator space as that muscovies and turkeys will only lay a certain number of eggs before they go broody. Once they go broody they quit laying and the only way I've found to fix that is to let them hatch some eggs. Once hatched, I let them keep a few to raise so that we have meat to process later in the year. So my availability (at least on ducklings and poults) is limited by the birds rather than incubator space.

 

[JennaLynn122]

I do the same.  For me it isn't really a matter a incubator space as that muscovies and turkeys will only lay a certain number of eggs before they go broody.  Once they go broody they quit laying and the only way I've found to fix that is to let them hatch some eggs.  Once hatched, I let them keep a few to raise so that we have meat to process later in the year.  So my availability (at least on ducklings and poults) is limited by the birds rather than incubator space.

I luckily don't have to worry about that. My place is way too small for turkey IMO. And I just never wanted ducks, as cute as they are. And my chicken have decided that they will never ever brood for me lol

 

[HEChicken]

LOL. Yeah, I never wanted ducks either - DD talked me into them and most days I could live without them. I do love the turkeys though…..

I've kept poultry on and off my whole life but had a spell without them and then got back into them about 5 years ago. The first 3 years, I waited and waited for a broody hen and it took that long to get my first broody. When I did, it was a Black Sexlink - the one I had least expected to go broody. She did an excellent job as broody and mother and I still have a couple of her daughters. The next year we moved to the country and I built a new coop and I guess there is something in the water out here because last year it was broody city around here. From March to July I had on average 12 at a time sitting on nests. This year they just jumped straight into it. I've already "broken" 4 hens by giving them chicks to raise but as of today have 10 hens, 3 turkeys and a duck sitting on nests in various corners of the coop. Many are on shared nests. 3 chickens and a turkey on one nest in this corner, a turkey and a hen together on a nest in that one. Two in each nest box. I am actually almost broodied out this year. Instead of the excitement I felt when that first hen went broody, now every time a new hen raises her butt and screeches at me, I just roll my eyes and think "yeah, why not? Everyone else is". The only upside is that I've been inundated with eggs this year and at least each time a hen goes broody she quits laying. I have 20 doz eggs stacked on my kitchen counter right now - and that is with selling 10-20 dozen every week.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Amazing difference , huh???? I only dry hatch-- rarely need to add moisture. In late summer getting hte eggs dry enough becomes an issue . . . This year I"m not planning to hatch that late into the humid season. . . . .

Good luck!!

LOL. Yeah, I never wanted ducks either - DD talked me into them and most days I could live without them. I do love the turkeys though…..

I've kept poultry on and off my whole life but had a spell without them and then got back into them about 5 years ago. The first 3 years, I waited and waited for a broody hen and it took that long to get my first broody. When I did, it was a Black Sexlink - the one I had least expected to go broody. She did an excellent job as broody and mother and I still have a couple of her daughters. The next year we moved to the country and I built a new coop and I guess there is something in the water out here because last year it was broody city around here. From March to July I had on average 12 at a time sitting on nests. This year they just jumped straight into it. I've already "broken" 4 hens by giving them chicks to raise but as of today have 10 hens, 3 turkeys and a duck sitting on nests in various corners of the coop. Many are on shared nests. 3 chickens and a turkey on one nest in this corner, a turkey and a hen together on a nest in that one. Two in each nest box. I am actually almost broodied out this year. Instead of the excitement I felt when that first hen went broody, now every time a new hen raises her butt and screeches at me, I just roll my eyes and think "yeah, why not? Everyone else is". The only upside is that I've been inundated with eggs this year and at least each time a hen goes broody she quits laying. I have 20 doz eggs stacked on my kitchen counter right now - and that is with selling 10-20 dozen every week.

I have a sign up on a very busy road and we hardly sell any eggs at all . . .

 

[Arielle]

Two turkey eggs with external pip!!!!

THese are bit early as they were set the 7th. Need to look for more with pips . . . . .