First Hatch of the year 😃

[Suki]

I use is a Hovabator ...

Me 2.  I have one for incubating, the new all-electronic -- and the other for hatching -- my original one.  With my all electronic GFQ turner, I no longer hand turn -- that was definitely beat --  we're good.

[Tailfeathers]

I'm starting to some more blue eggs now.  Couple each day.  One is over 2oz already.  Another is 1.9.  Collecting them for EEs.  Hope to be able to set up one Am and one Welsummer pen this weekend and give 'em 3wks to clean out.  Won't know for sure until I can look the birds over but I think I'm only gonna breed 2 Am lines this year.

[Beth Curran]

I use is a Hovabator ...

Me 2.  I have one for incubating, the new all-electronic -- and the other for hatching -- my original one.  With my all electronic turner, I no longer hand turn, that was definitely beat, we're good.

I use a Havobator as well. Every year I'm tempted to buy a cabinet model, and this past summer I passed up a deal I'll probably regret, but the truth is, there is not a lot of demand locally for breeding/show stock, and shipping from this part of the state is risky, birds will be in transit much too long, so I end up with more birds than I can move as it is, why tempt myself to hatch more? 

[Gina Neta]

I understand all of those reasons Beth.  Also for me, I really enjoy the smaller groups of chicks.  Noticing details and contrasts in groups of 10-20 just seems easier for me than keeping track of individuals in large groups.  I will hatch at least a small group every few weeks for a few months so I get to constantly look forward to Hatch Day.  Production has not really picked up much here yet (thank you 'Arctic Blast') but once it does I'm ready!!

[The Malcolms]

Also for me, I really enjoy the smaller groups of chicks.  Noticing details and contrasts in groups of 10-20 just seems easier for me than keeping track of individuals in large groups.

We only do small groups too.  We use silkies and bantam Cochins and a couple of bantam Ameraucanas.  We bought a hovabator last year and set it up but could never get it to hold consistent temperature or humidity so we took it back.  Our climate is so dry (11-20% humidity) it seems people here have the best luck with cabinet type incubators.  We are not ready for that volume of chicks yet.  If you give a broody hen a fertile egg it hatches.  Our hatch rate is around 94% over the last 3years.  And we don't need a separate brooder.  It takes longer and the hatches are smaller but in the end it is less work.
We already have 2 broody hens ready so we hope to start setting in a week or 2.🐔🐔🐔

[Beth Curran]

A good broody is worth her weight in gold, that's for sure. Unfortunately I haven't had a decent one in a while. Walker keeps asking for silkies and I haven't warmed up to the idea, but their reputation for brooding does help his case.

When I first got into chickens I had a white EE I called Henzilla. I made all the newbie mistakes including but not limited to letting her set in a community coop (young, old, male, female), and letting them free range. She hatched 11 or 12 chicks and didn't loose a single one in spite of running loose in a barnyard with horses and goats. Lucky? Absolutely. But she also put quite a bit of effort into keeping them safe - I remember her grabbing one poor cockerel by the neck and repeatedly slamming him into the wall when he got too close. I swear even the hawks were afraid of that thing! I sold her before I realized the value of what I had, wish I had a bird like that now!

[John W Blehm]

A good broody is worth her weight in gold, that's for sure. Unfortunately I haven't had a decent one in a while...

Bantam buff Ameraucanas are an extra brood variety.  I'm always hoping to breed it out of them.

[Russ Blair]

I am always fighting my Blue and Black LF. They seem to go broody in a blink of an eye. It always happens at the wrong time as well. John I am curious how you go about breeding it out of them? Just by selective breeding? My problem would be keeping track of chicks from hens that tend to go broody. I guess they would naturally breed themselves out by not producing eggs while they are broody. Funny how simple it sounds now lol.

[John W Blehm]

I am always fighting my Blue and Black LF. They seem to go broody in a blink of an eye. It always happens at the wrong time as well. John I am curious how you go about breeding it out of them? Just by selective breeding? My problem would be keeping track of chicks from hens that tend to go broody. I guess they would naturally breed themselves out by not producing eggs while they are broody. Funny how simple it sounds now lol.

Selection would be one way, but I haven't gotten around to that yet for broodiness.  I did an outcross with silvers a while ago and am hoping that helps along with some other areas.  I have two pullets from that project that are about 95% buff color.

[Beth Curran]

I do have some that go broody, but the kicker is, they're lousy at it. I've tried letting them hatch eggs, and they either abandon the nest halfway through or ignore the chicks when they hatch. Now the first time they fluff up at me they go on wire, which seems to discourage the broodiness, but sometimes they lay on the wire. And of course it's always the birds that have traits you really want to pass on, maybe the average ones know better than to press their luck?

[John W Blehm]

I do have some that go broody, but the kicker is, they're lousy at it. I've tried letting them hatch eggs, and they either abandon the nest halfway through or ignore the chicks when they hatch. Now the first time they fluff up at me they go on wire, which seems to discourage the broodiness, but sometimes they lay on the wire. And of course it's always the birds that have traits you really want to pass on, maybe the average ones know better than to press their luck?

I often let a couple buff bantams hatch a nest when I'm finished collecting eggs to incubate and they're always done fine.  Sometimes the share a nest.

[Rebecca G Howie]

I have a little cochin that I hope will be broody this spring. Love to watch them sit and do all the work for me! She could have all the eggs I can give her. that way my guest bedroom can be a guest bedroom - not a nursery full of chickie fluff all over the furniture

[John W Blehm]

My 1st setting of the year went into the setters this evening.  I collected eggs for a couple weeks.  I tossed about 70 of the most greenish eggs, since I only had room for 528 in the top row of my setters.  I'll keep the best for myself from the 1st two hatches and sell the culls locally to help pay for feed and electricity. 

[Cesar Villegas]

Well since I cant keep chickens like I use to have, where I currently live. So Im hatching for local people. But I couldnt resist, I obtain two eggs. One egg was from a Black pullet that got BB at the Tucson AZ Show and RB at the Safford AZ show. And one egg from a nice black hen and a Splash Cock that I use to own, that I got back (rescue) and now trying to find a forever home. 

Im really hoping that they hatch, due to sentimental reasons lol.. So everyone cross your fingers on my two lonely eggs

Hatch date is 1-31-16 and 2-7-16 everyone wish me luck. If they hatch Im sending out to get them sexed via DNA testing haha. Landlord and my neighbors said I could keep young pullets until I move out this summer

[The Malcolms]

We set our first eggs last Wednesday.  We gave a silkie hen 7 of our bantam brown red eggs.  We were mostly checking fertility hoping at least half were good.  We checked today and all 7 are fertile and developing well.  Fingers crossed we will have 7 bantam brown reds in a couple weeks.🐔🐔🐔