incubating again

[mikarod]

haha! It's hard to heat a coop without electricity!

But, yes...I constantly have frozen eggs in the nest during the winter. That's why I NEVER try to incubate during the winter.

Those cornish crosses are DELICIOUS!!!! Be sure to stock up on starter and grower and be ready to butcher around 9 weeks old!

[tlrohr]

9 WEEKS --- oh my --- I am going to be butchering babies. They really grow that fast. So when do they start laying eggs? The end of this year my freezer is going to be my hens from 2007 to Oct. 2009 --- which gives me time to raise the others.

I do not have electric either --- but I am thinking a propane type heater --- which I really don't need anyway --- my chickens are fine and I am not going to incubate year round anyway. Once I get my coop insulated --- it will be warmer next winter anyway.

[BUDDYSGIRL]

I'm not so sure I would trust a propane type heater but it might just do the trick! Insulation helps alot. I do have an electric cord from the barn to the coop(they are against one another) but I haven't used it yet this year.

[tlrohr]

Mik I went out tonight to lock everyone in and 1 of my goofy hens had dropped an egg from the perch --- all the nesting boxes and she just sat up on the perch and dropped her egg out --- what a mean mother.

[mikarod]

hahaha! Cornish crosses don't lay eggs! lol!

Those are broiler birds silly!

The others should start laying around 6 months old.

[BUDDYSGIRL]

I thought a hen was dropping her egg on the ground too but then I discovered that another hen was pushing the egg out so she could lay I guess.
Be careful that a hen doesn't start to eat the eggs if one breaks they will try it.

Mik- does an amaricana taste like a RIR? Or is chicken just chicken?

[tlrohr]

Originally Posted by mikarod

hahaha! Cornish crosses don't lay eggs! lol!

Those are broiler birds silly!

The others should start laying around 6 months old.

Never knew that --- well I guess I know where they will be going --- good thing I have room in my freezer.
Do the Indian Game birds --- or Dark Cornish lay eggs?

Just checked and the are not Cornish Cross --- they are Cornish Game hens.

[tlrohr]

Hey Mik, thought I would update this for you --- I did pretty good from what everyone said. Well I put 15 eggs in my incubator and hatched 13 --- have 20 in there now and 18 should be hatching next week --- the other 2 do not seem fertile --- but are not spoiled either. I am thinking they are just to dark to tell. I am sure glad I learned how to incubate --- will save on buying chicks all the time. So for the weather still being cold --- I think I am doing fairly well and the chicks will be laying around June. I have already started collecting eggs for my next batch --- collecting is the hard part with temps being cold --- I check the nest often. I know hubby prefers incubating --- that way I am not buying them --- even though he does not care for them being in the house. hahaha I am just afraid to move them to the barn right now when night drops to the teens.

[mikarod]

Cornish game hens DO lay eggs. Cornish crosses don't, so you're good there!!

Yep! You did a GOOD job on your incubating! Kudos to you! I'm working on incubating RIGHT now actually! My incubator fluctuated to 98* so either the eggs are dead (they were only in for a day before it fluctuated) or it slowed the development. Yesterday would have been 4 days, and I couldn't see any veins, so I'm hoping their just late in development.

Buddysgirl, chicken tastes like chicken, which tastes like frog legs!

No but seriously, it just depends on the age of the bird and what you've been feeding that'll change the texture and taste. The older a bird, the tougher it is. If all are fed on the same feed, they'll taste exactly the same.

[tlrohr]

Mik --- don't give up yet --- they are probably just behind. My eggs are pretty weird right now also --- I have some due the beginning of March 2nd and 3rd. Well, I checked my eggs last night and the ones I thought were not fertile --- since they were not smelling I left them alone --- are now fertile but are behind the others I am thinking the cause of mine being behind is the cold. They were pretty cold when I brought them in and I was not even sure if they were still fertile --- but I went ahead and marked them and stuck them in with the rest. Now those 3 are clear with the little eye still moving --- as the others are dark and preparing to hatch. As for my first batch --- they hatched 2 days early and all are well --- haven't changed anything --- the center of my egg is at 99-100 --- bottom is 98-99 --- top is at 102 --- I don't know if having them in the bathroom with the heat lamp is causing the difference or not --- have no clue --- just happy when the majority hatch. To get my eggs --- I was running out and checking every hour to hour and a half --- on the days I couldn't check for eggs --- they all ended up in the refrigerator.

Nice to see you back on.

By the way --- my coop is almost done --- have to get the shed removed and with frozen ground --- it is a bit hard to do. It is turning out awesome and I have had a lot of comments on it --- will post pictures soon. It has wire across the bottom so nothing can get in --- 3 windows --- 2 doors (1 for coop and 1 for feed room) --- it even has a sun roof.