Too Early for Feb Hatch-A-Long Thread??

[aliciaplus3]

Where did you get your brooders? I've considered buying one for awhile now. Just haven't taken the plunge.

I bought them through cackle hatchery. it was the only place that would ship them to me, every one else either wanted like $200 to ship or just wouldn't ship them at all.

 

[starri33]

At some point I plan on doing a side by side incubation with all 4 incubators and split up eggs from a few different sources into them to get a more accurate hatch rate variability on them. Since I have 2 Nurture Right's as a control I feel like I should be able to get a pretty good idea. I need to start slow though because otherwise my Husband will flip a lid. lol

I was just thinking that, if I had that many incubators hubby would have a stroke..lol, at least with my little one, he knows it's only 6 chicks at a time, when I first used the big one, I was hatching for some friends who'd either lost their flocks to age or coyotes.. we have a major coyote problem here where I live. it worked out wonderful, I got my hatching fix and they got chicks they didn't have to pay for.

 

[aliciaplus3]

This is what I use as a my super easy clean brooder. The great thing about Rubbermaid/Sterilite containers is that they're inexpensive and super easy to clean. I have two that I can set up and when I'm only using one, well, they fit inside of each other so no space lost to the second brooder when not in use. I raise them for 2-3 weeks like this and then move them to the outdoor grow out pen.

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I have 2 similar ones but at about a week old they get crowded
the idea with the fancy brooders is that they will be easier to keep ducks in.
I HATE how big of a mess that ducks make in the house and last year went to just moving them outside at about a week old(granted that was in the summer) but my DD is scheduled to hatch some in the next 2 weeks so I was planning ahead.

 

[FortCluck]

This is what I use as a my super easy clean brooder. The great thing about Rubbermaid/Sterilite containers is that they're inexpensive and super easy to clean. I have two that I can set up and when I'm only using one, well, they fit inside of each other so no space lost to the second brooder when not in use. I raise them for 2-3 weeks like this and then move them to the outdoor grow out pen.

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Is there heat in your outdoor grower pen?

 

[FortCluck]

I have 2 similar ones but at about a week old they get crowded
the idea with the fancy brooders is that they will be easier to keep ducks in.
I HATE how big of a mess that ducks make in the house and last year went to just moving them outside at about a week old(granted that was in the summer) but my DD is scheduled to hatch some in the next 2 weeks so I was planning ahead.

I'm waiting to do my ducks until it is 80° outside they are so messy

 

[aliciaplus3]

I'm waiting to do my ducks until it is 80° outside they are so messy

yeah but to have them ready for fair in july?? yup gotta hatch now!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I was just thinking that, if I had that many incubators hubby would have a stroke..lol, at least with my little one, he knows it's only 6 chicks at a time, when I first used the big one, I was hatching for some friends who'd either lost their flocks to age or coyotes.. we have a major coyote problem here where I live. it worked out wonderful, I got my hatching fix and they got chicks they didn't have to pay for.

When I hatch chicks I keep a few for myself and sell the rest. When I don't need any more chicks I start asking around to see what others would like and I'll hatch chicks for them. So I do the same thing to get my hatching fix. lol

 

[FortCluck]

yeah but to have them ready for fair in july?? yup gotta hatch now!

To sell or show?

I'm using ours for meat so it doesn't really matter when I hatch them. I just want it to be warm so they can go outside instantly.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Is there heat in your outdoor grower pen?

Yes, I have a 4'x10' enclosure side by side with my adult flock's run. I use another Rubbermaid in there and keep a heat plate inside the Rubbermaid. We have mild winters here. This also seconds as my broody pen.

 

[FortCluck]

Yes, I have a 4'x10' enclosure side by side with my adult flock's run. I use another Rubbermaid in there and keep a heat plate inside the Rubbermaid. We have mild winters here. This also seconds as my broody pen.

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That looks so nice. When we move I will have a area for hatched chicks, broodies, grow outs, and meat chickens.