Turkeys For 2013

[TexasLisa]

Hey! Is everyone okay? Rosenberg got 2" of rain plus we were under tornado warnings earlier today. I didn't know that until after the fact. I would have been out looking for it if I had known!! I understand we have another wave coming through around 1 A.M. Ya'll be careful!!

Lisa

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arielle

YOu can watch for internal pips and increase the humidity for the time to hatch, then drop it down again. Or listen for peeps, or when you see the first shell pip. I've had chicks hatch in the incubator before getting moved to the hatcher--so no worries.

Sure you can build another one. I did. I was terrified of electricity and I did it. Planning and accumulating the parts takes the longest, well for me it did as I needed it to be a cheap project.

Maybe get one done for a future set.

Oh Arielle that was sooooo sneaky! Talk about enabling......

Hey! Is everyone okay? Rosenberg got 2" of rain plus we were under tornado warnings earlier today. I didn't know that until after the fact. I would have been out looking for it if I had known!! I understand we have another wave coming through around 1 A.M. Ya'll be careful!!

Lisa

Stay safe. I live south of the tornado area of Mass-- and I am grateful for that.

 

[Arielle]

I am putting out an APB for auburns.

If anyone sees porters stock go on sale, please PM me.

Or if any other turkey supplier has an end of season sale, please PM me.

I have 10 auburn tom , well jakes, with NO girls. I love their size, at 36#, and the milk chocolate coloration. Of course their rarity has its attaction too.

 

[TexasLisa]

Stay safe. I live south of the tornado area of Mass-- and I am grateful for that.

I am a Hoosier (Indiana), so I know about tornadoes. I have lived through several of them. Just hadn't thought about them since I moved here. Guess I will readjust my thinking a bit.

I will think about building a hatcher. I have another week to go.

Lisa

 

[redneck farmer]

Oh Arielle that was sooooo sneaky!  Talk about enabling......
What a pretty boy!  Does he not have any females to show off to?

Lisa

No he don't but he has a friend that's a chicken that's a girl an she like watching him so I guess so

 

[chicks and hens2]

thanks for the info!

 

[chicks and hens2]

I use two machines. ONe to incubate, and another to hatch. Transfer eggs at lockdown time. Make or buy another incubator to make you life easier. I use the LG which is in most supply stores. THis way I"m less likely to mess witht he air cell development of the remaining eggs.

Thanks for the reply and info!
I bought an incubator today that I had read some good reviews on , then I got it home and went back on line and found some other reviews that were awful as far as having useless temperature and humidity gauges it's a Farm Innovators 4200 series with an auto egg turner, and a forced air kit included and a "free" egg candler. The first thing you see is a separate glass thermometer attached to a piece of plastic that says the "external gauges are for reference only" and to use the included a very small thermometer to get a more accurate reading. I was going to take it back tomorrow since I paid about $150.00 with tax . Have you read about this brand or ever used one?

 

[chicks and hens2]

Thanks for the reply and info!
I bought an incubator today that I had read some good reviews on , then I got it home and went back on line and found some other reviews that were awful as far as having useless temperature and humidity gauges it's a Farm Innovators 4200 series with an auto egg turner, and a forced air kit included and a "free" egg candler. The first thing you see is a separate glass thermometer attached to a piece of plastic that says the "external gauges are for reference only" and to use the included a very small thermometer to get a more accurate reading. I was going to take it back tomorrow since I paid about $150.00 with tax . Have you read about this brand or ever used one?

I guess every one has different opinions because I read some bad reviews about the LG's being as bad or worse or this one that I bought or being a knock off brand from that one or visa versa. What am I to believe? I guess there are ways to compensate for the humidity if you know how much the gauge is off but it says it should be calibrated with a know accurate hygrometer.
I'll see how many my Eastern Wild hen hatches out. There were about 20 that I had marked with a pencil so I KNEW when they were laid, but after that she got too agitated and would attack if I went near her nest. Once she hatches out her babies and leaves the nest I 'll have to figure out which eggs are keepers and which are newly laid. Tings would be so much easier if my other hens would
1. Go broody when she's done hatching hers and
2. quit laying eggs in her nest.
They were laying in 2 nest boxes but then she would get confused as to which nest was hers, or felt she had to lay on both nests so early on I put the eggs back into one nest. There is probably close to 30 eggs in there because of #2 as above. I'll probably end up having to throw the partially incubated babies out if another hen doesn't step up to the plate. The whole incubator thing is kind of ominous to me when I haven't incubated ANYTHING before and I have NO IDEA which eggs are older and which were just laid within the last couple days.
Just thinking out loud unless someone out there has some good ideas for me. The oldest eggs should hatch in 5 days

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
No, haven't heard of it, But I am very frustrated with the thermometers all together! I have 3 lgs and a chickbator (homemade) that's my hatcher. Several different thermometers and every one shows different

It does get pretty confusing. We have around 150 birds from banties to geese, and everything gets incubated and hatched. 2 of the thermometers were pretty expensive and even those 2 can't agree - even with calibration. I have learned to "feel" the temp when I turn eggs that can't fit the turners, and know if its too cool, too warm, UGH. It is pretty frustrating. DH has said we will be getting a sportsman cabinet for next year and get rid of the styrofoam for good. I usually set over 70 eggs a week, and I have 3 groups maturing to laying age soon, so its definitely going to get some use!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: FOr the money you could buy 3 LG's!! BUt without turner and without fan. Each has it's issues. I have followed some of the big hatcha thons and someone always brings up incubator issues. Look for the Farm Innovator thread, perhaps there is one and it can give you hints on how to best use that machine. I participate in the LG thread as it is very helpful to old and new users.

Every model has issues, including the thermometers. I would not use the included thermometer without testing it next to a reliable one.

I bough 5 fish tank thermometers at the same time that had the same temps ( reading store ambient temps) and took them home. And put them in a glass of warm water, NOT HOT WATER, but luke warm, and looked at the temps again. I figured the ones that read the same were the most accurate. 4 out of 5 were the exact same.

THen I used them to hatch with. Many factors effect the hatching rate: still air or fan, how close to the motor, number of times incubator is opened in a day or not.

When the eggs hatched on day 21 I knew I had the temperature reading that worked for me.

Currently my 2 thermometers read 104, 106, really scary numbers right? THe eggs hatch on day 21 for the chickens and day 28 for the turkeys. Both thermometers are off, but I know they are and can work with them.

PS I cooked one under the brooder lamp when checking temps for the chicks/poults. Ruined the thermometer- split the mercury.


Edited for typo --turkeys are 28 days. Not 18. oops