Cinnamon Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 I am thinking about raising a few chickies of my own (not that I am getting broody looking at all your photos or anything!) Is there any firm that hires out incubators? Also,once they have hatched,what do you keep them in until they are big enough to go outside? We have a cat & I am certain he would love a chick or 2 for supper Any advice re what breeds to go for........& what we can do with any little chappies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 A while ago when I was down to one chicken (Petal) who went broody I liked the idea of hatching an egg to give her a companion. I went to a nearby farm to ask where I could buy fertilised eggs and the farmer took me into her kitchen and gave me an egg from a bowl next to her cooker and said it had been laid that day and to pop it under the broody hen and if nothing happened in 3 weeks chuck it away I thought she was mad but did as she suggested and lo and behold in 3 weeks I had the sweetest chick. Unfortunately it grew up to be a hugely aggressive cockerel and "Ooops, word censored!"ody could go near it!!! He bullied Petal and crowed from pre-dawn until dusk with hardly a break. I have since read that 60% of eggs turn out to be cockerels so bear that in mind. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 I've been asking people and myself all the same questions. Minus the cat plus an in the dark husband Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 plus an in the dark husband That's the best sort of husband to have....Him Indoors wouldn't notice if I grew an extra head....and wouldn't mind...as long as it didn't talk. I managed to smuggle a second Eglu and 4 extra hens past him....they were here for 3 weeks before he clocked them" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 I don't know about hiring incubators - i've not seen anyone advertising them for hire. You will need a brooder to keep them in after they've hatched. I use a big cardboard box with corrugated cardboard inside to round off the corners. You need it to be quite deep as they soon learn to fly I put a broom handle across the box and hang a small feeder and small drinker from it - that keeps them off the floor and prevents too much bedding being shovelled in I use a good layer of Aubiose as bedding. You will also need a heat lamp and somewhere to suspend it. You raise the lamp each day to lower the heat slightly until they are off heat and ready to go outside. I divided my big box into two, with a doorway made in the middle. i hung the lamp over one half an then the chicks could go through to the cooler side as and when they wanted to. If you go for an autosexing breed, you could deal with the little boys on day one - not a nice job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 plus an in the dark husband That's the best sort of husband to have....Him Indoors wouldn't notice if I grew an extra head....and wouldn't mind...as long as it didn't talk. I managed to smuggle a second Eglu and 4 extra hens past him....they were here for 3 weeks before he clocked them" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Thanks Lesley Egluntine thats pretty mpressive. I think I would be pushed to do something like that in my garden Bu tI could hide an incubator in DDs room and not tell him until they had hatched Lesley the heat lamp, whats special about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
