When is best?

[dragonchick]

When is the best time to attempt hatching out eggs? I keep my house at 64 °F through the winter and don't as a rule use the AC. I have an incubator but also planning on making a new one so I can have a double hatch if the first one makes it. I have never hatched an egg before and was curious. I see others hatching at all times but is this NORMAL for chickens?

 

[speckledhen]

Depends on your incubator. Seems that my styrofoam ones do better when the house temp is over 70 degrees. If the house gets colder than that, I have trouble with the thermostats.


Normal? Hey, I dont think many of us here are all that normal, LOL.

Some folks are just addicted to hatching, some hatch and grow out chicks over the winter so they will be laying in spring. Hens have even been known to go broody in cold weather, so hard to say what is really normal.

 

[dragonchick]

Thanks Speckledhen. The incubator I have presently is the Styrofoam one that is apparently not desired. I am planning on making a new one like the one with the heat/cool cooler since I found one for $5 at the second hand shop. Just gotta go pick it up. I am trying to get all my chickens in a row before I start buying eggs.

 

[Junkmanme]

dragonchick,

Ya might as well get your "ducks in line" while yore at it.

-Junkmanme-

 

[Ms Ellen]

I hatched some at Thanksgiving time last year. It worked great BUT don't forget if you don't have a heated outdoor space you will be brooding inside for a loooonnng time. Hopefully you have a basement or someplace like that for the brooder.

 

[dragonchick]

Quote:
The only thing I have is a spare bedroom and that's out. We did that with 25 day olds from McMurray 2 years ago. Never again will I have chickens in the house for an entire winter. A couple weeks, OK, ca couple months, no way. I am still finding chicken dust in cracks and crevices.

 

[Overeasyplz]

Quote:
The only thing I have is a spare bedroom and that's out. We did that with 25 day olds from McMurray 2 years ago. Never again will I have chickens in the house for an entire winter. A couple weeks, OK, ca couple months, no way. I am still finding chicken dust in cracks and crevices.

lol I had my chicks in the living room with us for almost two months, I was so ready to move them out! My husband was exasperated, he growled that they even peep in their sleep..I love the peeping but i guess it gets on your nerves...lol

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

Quote:
The only thing I have is a spare bedroom and that's out. We did that with 25 day olds from McMurray 2 years ago. Never again will I have chickens in the house for an entire winter. A couple weeks, OK, ca couple months, no way. I am still finding chicken dust in cracks and crevices.

lol I had my chicks in the living room with us for almost two months, I was so ready to move them out! My husband was exasperated, he growled that they even peep in their sleep..I love the peeping but i guess it gets on your nerves...lol

I love the peeping, but with my asthma, they HAVE to go outside ASAP.