?? when do u fire up ur Bator ??

[Poultryprincess]

I usually like to load up my incubator in the spring.
(April May June )
I like letting the chicks enjoy the nice weather.
Nice to Not have heat lamps going, or worrying about them getting a chill.

When do YOU like to fire up the bator, & why? :question:
I am Not selling my chicks, they are keepers.

[Arbor]

Same at this end. Chickens lay all winter, but my peas don't start till at least may.

[Robbie]

I'm aiming for the first week in April. I'd like an early May hatch. Chicks will have access to the outdoors, fresh grass and there's enough time to set another group of eggs if something goes wrong. And I can expect the pullets to lay in late fall.

[thegawd]

as soon as theres enough eggs to fill it HAHA Im learning it all depends on your goals... if your into show birds and want your birds to be in prime condition for the fall shows, now is the time to put them in!

[Cuttlefish]

I didn't start until May this year, and that's too late! : ) If I can sneak some in Feb-March this year, that's my goal. : )
I guess if I thought I could be finished my hatching in one or two goes, I would wait for nice weather, but I got snafued with some bad hatches and ran out of time... didn't get everything I wanted out of year 1 hatching.

[WLLady]

mine are never off.....um....i have 3 and have at least 1 going at any given time. difference is starting in feb i will have 2 going and then 3 shortly after and they go all summer....right up until about september when i'm back to 1.

[JimW]

I am hoping to set a small test batch in my "new to me" Sportsman the beginning of March, if I get organized enough to have my birds split into their breeding groups in time.

[Poultryprincess]

WOW ~ there is a lot of dedicated bator breeders here ~ BUT THREE Incubators?!?!?
OMGAWD, where do you put all the chicks? I'm impressed / jealous / over whelmed @ the thought - LOL

I don't like starting too early because of the heat lamp situation.
( I always end up with chicks in my sewing room...shavings & sewing don't mix )
Or I find if I am ready, the girls aren't laying enough, it's always a challenge.

I wish I would know when a hen was planning to defect, so I could have the bator set up just incase - yeah right!

[Ontario Chick]

I also hatch for myself only, and struggle with the timing every spring.
I don't want to have them in the house longer then 1 week, so later is better, but I would like them to start laying by September, se earlier would be better:) the Wyandottes have a low fertility, so have to wait until they get going, I sell Ameraucana hatching eggs and people tend to want to start hatching way before I do, which means EVERYBODY has chicks out of my birds before I ever see any.....did I say conflicted???

[SandyM]

No mechanical incubators allowed on this property!! However, I do have silkies ... So we'll see when they go broody. If it's winter I'll try to override it ... Mind you winter feels like spring.