When, Who, How many, Why, What...do you hatch eggs?

[aart]

Been reading here for months in preparation for starting a flock this spring. After thoroughly enjoying the "Incubating & Hatching Eggs" forum I started wondering 'What is it with you people?!?!' No, not really, I get it, it's fascinating and addictive and I hope one day to do some hatching myself. I am in awe of folks tenacity, helpfulness and mentorship. I've read alot of forums over the years and this is one of the best.

But, seriously, I wonder how many eggs do you hatch and what the heck do you do with all those chicks, cause it seems some folks hatch ALOT of eggs. So, I thought I'd throw this little questionnaire out there to get some feedback to satiate my curiosity and maybe everyone might have some fun with it.

So if you want, while you're waiting for those pips or the next emergency post, quote and answer the questions below. TIA

When .......do you hatch, all year or seasonally?

Who...... do you hatch, what breeds?

How many...eggs do you hatch in a year?

Why....do you hatch, and I guess it goes hand in hand with.... What.....do you DO with all those chicks?

 

[aart]

Wow, zero replies??? Really?

 

[jphendrix]

When- This is my second hatch, I don't know if I will do it all year or just a few in the spring but I do love it!

Who- I have only hatched my eggs which are mutts. I have BO, RIR, BR, BSL, Banty's but not sure of breed, probably mutts too. My rooster is a mutt. I am going to try and hatch some RIR when my RIR rooster gets older

How many- My first hatch , I set 25 eggs and had 21 hatch, and I now have 38 eggs in bator right now

Why- At first it was to see if I could do it, and now it's because I love it

What - I have sold some of my first hatchlings, and will give some to a family member, and will be keeping some

 

[aart]

Thanks jphendrix!

Anyone else?

 

[danihen]

When .......this is my first time in a decade, I wasn't very successful the very first time, so try to forget it!! And I thought spring was a good time as that's when we lamb the sheep and cake the cows but its doing nothing but snow!! Arrgghhh

Who...... Lavender pekin and blue laced wyandotte bantams

How many... Well we set 18 pekin, 2 clear I'm on day 10, 10 wyandottes but think should have waited a bit further into laying cycle as 5 clear and 2 questionable! So prob more of the wyandottes later in the year

Why....because we want to start a flock of the pekins, hadn't seen any near by we liked so bought 3 different lots of eBay. The wyandottes are our sons new little venture, he's 14 and has long wanted a project but we made him wait and a year later he still felt the same and I have to say he's doing fab caring for them!! He hopes to sell some of the pullets, may buy in same breed so he could make up unrelated trios or pairs, not sure yet.

What.....I don't know I'll tell you when I get some !!!!! Hahaha, keep some, sell some I hope?! But we'll see what happens in the next few weeks!


i have often thought just the same as you so will see if there's any other replies!! Good question!

 

[aart]

Thanks danihen!

Anyone else?

 

[Our Roost]

Hmmm. Nothing yet except plain old eating eggs. Taste really good but none have hatched yet.

I am getting a blue orp rooster and some blue orp breed hens to replenish last years stock of cross breeds. If you haven't already, read up on true breeds verses cross breeds. Mix mash of chickens doesn't always produce good egg layers. Keep in mind that not all hens go broody. If you have a good brood hen and want to replenish your stock, it is important to keep her healthy, hydrated and fed. She will sit on most anyones eggs including duck eggs! Good luck with your survey!

 

[jimlas]

Well, for one thing there is nothing better than God's creation unfolding right in front of your eyes )

I am a homeschool mom, and on the side love animals, especially birds . I use to raise finches inside the house and had a huge room filled with breeding going on and even had to hand feed a few tossed babies. SO much fun!
When that hobby ended I started with chickens, but didn't hatch any. Then last year I tried incubating some ducks for a science project, and failed at two attempts, so gave up the idea until this Spring.

I absolutely had to try again this year because failure isn't something I except to well )
I found someone who was selling fresh duck eggs for people to eat and I asked her if she would sell some unwashed ones, and she did. I was successful with my first hatch, 15 out of 18 babies hatched, and right now I have 8 so far out of a batch of 22 from my second hatch, with more pipping as we speak.
There is something about going through the process of incubating eggs, watching them develop and watching those eggs finally start to move around with peeping noises coming out of them before they even hatch.

I have another dozen of ducks and 7 gooses eggs in another bator due to hatch in April sometime and that will be it for this season. I plan on keeping most of the geese and some of the ducks but not all. The extras will bless someone else who doesn't or can't incubate but loves to raise water fowl.
I would of done chickens but I have 26 chicks coming in April and there will be several different breeds involved in that order.

 

[TexasChickenUnv]

When: whenever the hens go broody. Which is right now. I have 5 3wk olds, and 3 1 day olds.

Who: whoever laid in the nesting box last. My 3 crazy banties have hatched out two of their own plus two Red Stars, 1 Australorp, 1 Delaware, 1SLW, and 1 I'm not sure. Baby Daddy is an Ameraucana. (3 hens, 2 hatchings. They share and rotate alot.). I did kinda engineer it to get babies out of my best layers.

How many: my crazy ladies have had success rates of 60% to 100%. They usually get 4-6 eggs(about all their little bodies can handle).

Why: flock replacement and eating, fun to watch, letting the girls do their thing.

 

[aart]

Thanks folks!
I am amazed that this usually verbose forum population has not offered up dozens of posts of info on hatching reasons and experience.
Oh well.