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Martha
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| Posted: Jan 14 2008 at 7:56pm | IP Logged
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our local state agricultural extention office has classroom incubators, auto chick turning thingy, 18 eggs, and all the lessons and how to info for $15
after the broiler chicks hatch, we can either send them to a list of farmer coops, an animal sactuary (to become tiger kibble), or butcher outselves (not likely!)
because these are broiler chicks, they only live a few months
I signed us up. I remember doing this is school and thought it was facinating.
opinions? anyone else ever done this?
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Martha
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MaryM
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| Posted: Jan 14 2008 at 9:28pm | IP Logged
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Wow, Martha, that sounds like a great deal. Great price, all the real equipment, a guaranteed home for them if you don't want them. And the auto chick turning thingy! 
We have hatched them here before. We did it as past of our co-op 3 years ago. Each family had one of these small incubators and 4 eggs. Two of ours hatched but we feel very fortunate as most of the other families had zero. You really have to be careful with the temperature and the turning them everyday - with the setup you'll have that should be no problem.
It was so amazing. We kept the chicks for about 3 weeks before finding them a home. Our kids loved it and frequently mention wanting to do it again. I would love to find a great deal like yours.
Also, Kim F. posted details and studies that went along with their egg hatching adventure in 2005. Lots of great stuff there.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Martha
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oh wow, that's some adventure!
I've marked it in my favorites for future reference, not that I'll be keeping these chicks, no sirree, that's not gonna fly with the HOA. 
but oh it sure is tempting!
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Martha
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Tina P.
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| Posted: Jan 15 2008 at 11:07pm | IP Logged
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Martha wrote:
| classroom incubators, auto chick turning thingy, 18 eggs |
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This cracks me up! When I was growing up we raised Banty chickens. We never used incubators or chick turning thingies. The actual hen sat on the actual eggs until they hatched. What is this world coming to!?!? Everything is so mechanized anymore! 
BTW Kim, if you're in on this conversation, my hen was tame. She would fly down from the coop (we had a two-story garage) into my lap when I'd let them out in the mornings.
I hope to get some chickens in summer. But then again, I don't know. My kids aren't the most responsible when it comes to caring for pets. I always have to back up anyone under 10. And I remind my 13 yo incessantly to feed his lizard and frogs. Maybe the chickens will have to be mine.
ETA: NOT broilers, just egg-layers. 
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crusermom
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We did that last year and it was so much fun. The little ones could not stop checking on the eggs and I was sure that we hardboiled them! Then during the night, on the 28th day, we heard the smallest little chirp. We all got out of bed and watched the little guy work his way out. My kids loved it. We didn't have the fancy turner or a broody hen - we had to remember to turn them and keep checking the temp in our drafty house. Good luck!
Mary
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: Jan 22 2008 at 11:39pm | IP Logged
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We have done this a few times now. A local historical farm offers eggs of their rare breeds to hatch and then you return the chicks after a few weeks.
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LeeAnn
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MaryM
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| Posted: Jan 22 2008 at 11:48pm | IP Logged
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sewcrazy wrote:
| We have done this a few times now. A local historical farm offers eggs of their rare breeds to hatch and then you return the chicks after a few weeks. |
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That is really cool - I'd love to hatch some rare breeds! We need a chicken icon - all we have is this  one. 
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Mary M. in Denver
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: chick embryo hatching anyone?
