YO GEORGIANS! :)

[ericinga]

I made it from hurricane shutters, foil lined insulating board, fans, lights and a control relay that will adjust to 0.1°. It's like a horizontal cabinet that will hold 164 eggs. I bought a hova bator genesis for a back up because it will run on a battery in case of a power outage.

Have you ever let a broody hatch eggs? I had one that hatched 6 and I found her off her eggs in another nest box several times and her eggs were cold to the touch. I put her back on her eggs and waited it out. I moved her to a pen in the coop floor and she hatched all 6 on the 21st day within 2 hours.

Taught me more than one lesson, half my hens tried to go broody so I got her and the chicks out of the coop and locked 4 other hens in a horse stall for 3 days. Still don't have them all laying yet.

I have my tiny frizzle hen sitting on 5 eggs. Oh by the way, anyone want to buy some bantam EE? They lay year round unlike most bantam EE. That is the only reason we hatched them. I kept 7 chicks and my brother took 25 and then I put 4 more EE eggs under my frizzle. Have 3 roosters in the first 7 and they are starting to crow. I want to keep them all but I know that will never happen because I have no room. They are tiny so if I do they shouldn't take up much room.

Not going to let my frizzle raise her chicks so will probably sell those that hatch.

 

[carcar80]

Fifteen pips and two chicks out when I got up a while ago.

 

[GAMarans]

 

[PapaChaz]

interesting posts about the cabinets with great timing. I'm currently in a discussion on the FB group North GA Chickens with a guy who has a home made cabinet for sale for $800, "if you don't mind hand turning your eggs" and he used all GQF internals.

I merely pointed out that he has his 'home made' cabinet priced higher than a GQF 1502 that's fully automatic. I didn't say anything bad about him or his cabinet, merely pointed out the pricing facts. He now has his drawers all bunched up at me, and said he bought a GQF and it's "plastic" and called it "crap that's worth about $300". So I've questioned why he doesn't keep his and sell the crap plastic one.....

"it's like comparing dining room tables, you can buy a pine one or an oak one" LOL ummm, no it's not like dining room tables. Has nothing to do with dining room table components. It's about a home made cabinet, that looks very well made BTW, just not automatic, vs the one that pretty much set the industry standards. It's about someone buying the industry standards internal working parts and a piece of plywood, and then trying to sell it for more than the industry standard......some people will say about anything to sell something....

 

[eldridgebrood]

Yes, chickens can be traumatized.  When the bear broke down the door to the coop, (just ripped it to shreds), and killed 7 chickens and one duck, they would not go back inside on there own for two nights.  We literally had to round them up out of bushes and trees every night.  After those two nights, they settled back down and went to roost inside on their own again.  Good luck with your rooster.  We all have chicks or extra hens if you need more!

Thank you, I've got 6 chicks, but it will be a while before they can go outside, let alone be with him. I was talking to my husband last night about finding a hen or two to keep him company until the chicks get bigger. I don't even care if they are laying, I'll still get duck eggs, I just don't want him depressed.

 

[eldridgebrood]

Sorry to hear this. If you're close enough, I'd be glad to give you some layers or I've got chicks hatching next weekend.

Thank you. I have some chicks but theyre too little to go out yet, i was considering getting a couple hens to keep him company until the chicks can go out, don't even care if they're laying. I'm in oakwood/gainesville area.

 

[GAMarans]

interesting posts about the cabinets with great timing. I'm currently in a discussion on the FB group North GA Chickens with a guy who has a home made cabinet for sale for $800, "if you don't mind hand turning your eggs" and he used all GQF internals.

I merely pointed out that he has his 'home made' cabinet priced higher than a GQF 1502 that's fully automatic. I didn't say anything bad about him or his cabinet, merely pointed out the pricing facts. He now has his drawers all bunched up at me, and said he bought a GQF and it's "plastic" and called it "crap that's worth about $300". So I've questioned why he doesn't keep his and sell the crap plastic one.....

"it's like comparing dining room tables, you can buy a pine one or an oak one" LOL ummm, no it's not like dining room tables. Has nothing to do with dining room table components. It's about a home made cabinet, that looks very well made BTW, just not automatic, vs the one that pretty much set the industry standards. It's about someone buying the industry standards internal working parts and a piece of plywood, and then trying to sell it for more than the industry standard......some people will say about anything to sell something....

I do my best to avoid/ignore folks like that.

 

[Flowerbh]

Ummm, I've got turkeys in lockdown and I just realized that I know nothing about turkeys. Can they eat chick starter? They will go to the guy who unexpectantly brought me eggs to hatch last month.

 

[feathersaloft]

interesting posts about the cabinets with great timing. I'm currently in a discussion on the FB group North GA Chickens with a guy who has a home made cabinet for sale for $800, "if you don't mind hand turning your eggs" and he used all GQF internals.

I merely pointed out that he has his 'home made' cabinet priced higher than a GQF 1502 that's fully automatic. I didn't say anything bad about him or his cabinet, merely pointed out the pricing facts. He now has his drawers all bunched up at me, and said he bought a GQF and it's "plastic" and called it "crap that's worth about $300". So I've questioned why he doesn't keep his and sell the crap plastic one.....

"it's like comparing dining room tables, you can buy a pine one or an oak one" LOL ummm, no it's not like dining room tables. Has nothing to do with dining room table components. It's about a home made cabinet, that looks very well made BTW, just not automatic, vs the one that pretty much set the industry standards. It's about someone buying the industry standards internal working parts and a piece of plywood, and then trying to sell it for more than the industry standard......some people will say about anything to sell something....

I agree. It was a nice exterior, but WAY too much.

We are working to finish our cabinet, just ordered the thermostat, heater and fan set.
Mine will include the 4 turners I've collected, but if I DID have $700 to spend, I would definitely buy the GQF one instead!

So far the outer case is done, door is in progress. Shelves are also in progress. The shelf holders are there, the shelves still need their 1/4" hardware cloth.
The false wall is on hold until we get the electronics installed, for spacing.



My last hatch was umm, interesting.
I had 14 Speckled Sussex eggs for a friend, 24 duck eggs for the friend, and then 1 silkie and 2 EE eggs just to fill it up.
I tried a more hands off approach, didn't candle til lockdown.
NONE of the SS eggs were fertile. Less than half the eggs were fertile.
My 3 eggs all looked good.

I didn't turn off the turner, and then more or less forgot it from Tuesday night.
Friday night I got home, and remembered the eggs.
Went to pull out the eggs, and noticed the silkie egg was zipped and empty.

Found the silkie sitting in one of the egg cups, riding back and forth!
Pulled her out, left the EE eggs.
Last night found one of them hatched, pulled him out and the last egg was pipped on the bottom of the egg.
Waiting to see how that ends.

Much better than when I stressed over them, candled at day 8 or so.
All I've done is add water every few days. And if the last one hatches, that would be 100% of the fertile eggs!

Plus Eric has some of my eggs, due to hatch on Wednesday I believe.

 

[Flowerbh]

I agree. It was a nice exterior, but WAY too much.

We are working to finish our cabinet, just ordered the thermostat, heater and fan set.
Mine will include the 4 turners I've collected, but if I DID have $700 to spend, I would definitely buy the GQF one instead!

So far the outer case is done, door is in progress. Shelves are also in progress. The shelf holders are there, the shelves still need their 1/4" hardware cloth.
The false wall is on hold until we get the electronics installed, for spacing.



My last hatch was umm, interesting.
I had 14 Speckled Sussex eggs for a friend, 24 duck eggs for the friend, and then 1 silkie and 2 EE eggs just to fill it up.
I tried a more hands off approach, didn't candle til lockdown.
NONE of the SS eggs were fertile. Less than half the eggs were fertile.
My 3 eggs all looked good.

I didn't turn off the turner, and then more or less forgot it from Tuesday night.
Friday night I got home, and remembered the eggs.
Went to pull out the eggs, and noticed the silkie egg was zipped and empty.

Found the silkie sitting in one of the egg cups, riding back and forth!
Pulled her out, left the EE eggs.
Last night found one of them hatched, pulled him out and the last egg was pipped on the bottom of the egg.
Waiting to see how that ends.

Much better than when I stressed over them, candled at day 8 or so.
All I've done is add water every few days. And if the last one hatches, that would be 100% of the fertile eggs!

Plus Eric has some of my eggs, due to hatch on Wednesday I believe.

I candle my eggs around day 6-7 and discard the ones not fertile. I've even been know to cook those eggs up and give them to my chickens... Yes, even after 7 days in the bator. It's like they have been slow cooking. They don't smell so they are good to go to the chickens. Anyway, don't be afraid to candle them. Also, removing the turner is important. The chicks inside the eggs need time to move around to the best hatching spot for them. If your turner keeps going, it confuses them. Hope your duck eggs do well.