[bevsmith]

PUT IN 24 MIXED EGGS,SOME GAME,SOME SILKIES,mainly hopeing that the incubator i bought off a car boot actually worked,never incubatored before,followed all your helpful advice,anyway wasn,t expecting too much success,but 10 are out and at least 6 more pipping so very chuffed,just thought i,d share my chuffiness as have had  mixed fortunes with chicks this year.

[jameslindsay]

Well done, it is a great feeling.

[TheCaptain]

Well done!

[bevsmith]

Thanx, am like a mother hen,haven,t done a thing all day,LOL.

[little blue]

well done.... its the start of an addiction though!!

[Helencus]

Well done. Like little blue says it's addictive !

[TheCaptain]

4 out today, six more ordered this evening!  Highly addictive!!!

[bevsmith]

Well finished up with 20 chicks from 24 eggs so really pleased,did have to help a few as the shells had become dry and brittle,but all fluffed up and doing great,am now trying to convince myself enough is enough and to put the incubator away until early next year,THEN AGAIN PERHAPS ONE MORE GO,LOL.

[Pony-n-trap]

I got a dozen Bantam eggs form my boss earlier in the year, they were the first laid of the year and had sat in a stable block for almost a week in quite cold conditions so I wasnt expecting anything.

Got 10 out of 12 and when they were pipping I to was like a mother hen, pacing up and down into the 'delivery suite' to see how they were doing.  Out of the 10 there are 6 cockerels so they will eventually stock our freezer.

I then got a dozen duck eggs off internet! and 6 of those hatched, had to help 5 out as they the eggs had gone hard but they are thriving and HUGE now.

Did one last go with 6 more bantam eggs and 4 hatched, one died in its shell, didnt make it out and have kicked myself for not helping it but this is my first year of hatching so all a learning curve.

It is addictive I agree but I am packing the incubator up now til next year, hoping to get hold of some goose eggs next year so grow on for Christmas lunch!  Has anyone tried goose eggs?

Cant wait til my chickens come into lay, that will be the next exciting time for my poultry garden!

[jameslindsay]

It is very addictive, I hatch the eggs to keep though and could not eat anything. I hatched 2 geese eggs a few months ago and they now run out with their mum and dad and my Roman goose and already it is hard to know the babies apart from their parents.

I was introduced yesterday to Silkies and Frizzle chooks and have decided to get some and have really got quite excited at the thought of them arriving.

[Castle Farm]

Hatching them is the easy bit. Building runs and coops and keeping the birds in health and giving a quality of life is the difficult part.

[bamford6]

very well done next time  get a small garden sprayer and soak some off the dry 1s that will give them a chance

[bevsmith]

HI, thanx for that advice Bamford, have now made my head rule my heart and the incubator has been thoroughly cleaned and put away,all chicks doing well so will have plenty to keep me busy as they grow.