Anybody raising chicks this Spring?

[Lazy Gardener]

How many eggs?

 

[BarredBuff]

Just loaded the incubator last night. Hoping for a good hatch

What kinds did you load in the incubator?

 

[Chic Rustler]

Idk...bout 60.

They are a mixed bag. I have rir, barred rock, white leghorn, black sex link, buff orpinton, ee, and a couple mutts.

The roosters are rir and bo

 

[Lazy Gardener]

@Chic Rustler What kind of incubator do you have?

 

[Chic Rustler]

@Chic Rustler What kind of incubator do you have?

Homemade cabinet incubator.

 

[Chic Rustler]

@Chic Rustler What kind of incubator do you have?

 

[Chic Rustler]

Nice. I like your heat source. I've often wondered if one could use a hair dryer or other such piece of equipment for the heat source.

Hubby and I built 2 bators. The first was foam with bimetal thermostat. The second was a large picnic cooler with digital thermostat. Both have computer fans, and use 2 x 40W light bulbs as a heat source. I had a heck of a time with managing warm/cold spots in the second bator, so ended up finishing the incubation without the fan. I hand turn, with eggs in cartons which are tilted to turn them until day 14, then finish turning with them laying flat. Hatch rate has averaged 90 - 95%. #1 bator comfortably holds 18 eggs, while #2 bator will handle 24.

I use a MHP brooder and brood incubated chicks outdoors.

Sure is a lot easier to use a broody!

Mine will hold around 90 eggs. 300 watts proved too much for the size of the cabinet and caused over shoot. So i choked it down to 150. Works well now. It gets cold in the shed, down in the 20s. The incubator never had an issue keeping up

 

[Lazy Gardener]

SWEET THAT YOU CAN RUN IT IN YOUR SHED. HUBBY WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL CHICKEN RELATED STUFF OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND I REALLY DON'T BLAME HIM!!!

 

[FarmerJamie]

Sale at TSC.....