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Chicken keepers

Meet others keeping chickens on our Mumsnet Chicken forum.

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Original poster

anyone want to buy my as-yet-unused rcom mini auto incubator off me?

15 replies

BloodySmartarse · 27/08/2008 17:42

i reckon i want a bigger one now, this one only does 3 eggs at a time and i'd rather to more at once.

OP posts:

alibubbles · 27/08/2008 18:37

How much is it? I have no idea how much they cost!

I like the idea of hatching just three eggs, as I lost a chicken last week and was thinking of buying two more.

I could hatch three eggs, to bring me to 8 chooks. It would be very exciting for my minded children to see this happening.

Original poster

BloodySmartarse · 27/08/2008 19:07

um, will have a look online - got it from the incubator shop or something... hang on.

here, its about 80 quid

OP posts:

Takver · 27/08/2008 19:18

Just to say that they are fab, we have one, would thoroughly recommend it. We've hatched both ducklings and chicks in it.

Original poster

BloodySmartarse · 27/08/2008 19:24

in the mini takver?
oh im dying to hatch some chicks
but have to (finally!) sort out chook housing first really. dp not wanting to spend the money atm, but promising i can soon-ish.

maybe i should just go on and hatch 3 little ones in the rcom mini and then sell it used to upgrade... or stop being greedy/hasty and just do 3 at a time...

decisions are not my strong point, clearly

OP posts:

Takver · 27/08/2008 20:12

Yes in the mini one. Not sure whether I would go for the 3 egg one or straight to a bigger one - depends I suppose how many chicks you want.

All 3 of our chicks hatched, but only one duckling out of 6 (2 settings), but I am sure that was the fault of the eggs not the incubator, as our local poultry breeder had 12 of our duck eggs from us (khaki campbells) and she only got one of 12 hatching in her big professional incubator, and that one was deformed. I think our drake is really a bit too old.

DH built us a nice little mini-ark out of an old cafe sign that he scrounged - we have than plus a bigger ark that we got off freecycle so we are doing very nicely now for housing! Maybe worth asking on freecycle or around the place to see if you can borrow an ark if you only need it for the chicks - can they go in your main housing when they are bigger?

Also - do you think it is ok to hatch now? we have put ours away for next spring as we thought it would be too cold for chicks plus we don't have any broodies now to stick them under.

Original poster

BloodySmartarse · 27/08/2008 21:33

oh, do they need warm weather? i thought they were kept indoors till they were ready to go out...

OP posts:

Takver · 27/08/2008 21:54

Well, good question, I don't really know. We only got the incubator this year, before we have just put eggs under a broody.
We kept our duckling indoors for a while with a low energy bulb in a box for warmth, then it went outdoors with the others when it got a bit bigger. The chicks we gave to a broody hen, so they were outdoors straight away (tho of course she was keeping them warm), but we figured that we should aim for the time when they would be naturally hatching.

alibubbles · 28/08/2008 07:53

Hi, I found it for less on line, but what price are you looking for and whereabouts are you for possible pick up please?

Original poster

BloodySmartarse · 28/08/2008 14:07

ooh, im in hampshire.
id take less if you can buy it for less... can i ask where pls? maybe they have the bigger one/s im looking at for less too... also, the incubator shop have agreed in principle to take it back and swap it for me, but theyre away for a fortnight from today so if you did take mine and i could also buy another more quickly (and cheaper into the bargain) that would prob be better for me...

OP posts:

alibubbles · 28/08/2008 17:51

Hi, they are £69.99 plus delivery that brings you up to £79.99, so £10 cheaper.

Original poster

BloodySmartarse · 28/08/2008 20:27

(you do realise 79.99 is only 1p less than 80 quid, dont you? )

so, are you anywhere near me for collection? its ok, i understand if you cant make it...

OP posts:

TheDuchessOfNork · 28/08/2008 21:29

If you hatch chicks during Sept & Oct they will need to stay under the heat lamp/electric chicken until they are the full 6 weeks old (which is what the books recommend but my June-born incubator chicks went outside without their electric hen at 4 or 5 weeks and were perfectly happy, there were 12 of them which probably boosted the temperature too).

Also, I'd try and keep them indoors, preferably in your house but a shed, stable or garage would do, for as long as possible.

As long as they have a cosy house and shelter from the rain, they will do just fine through the winter.

alibubbles · 28/08/2008 21:38

Your site is £79.99 plus postage of £10.

I am in St Albans, so not very close. I like the idea, could also use one of spare bedrooms as a nursery!

DH would have a fit, but he is in Brum Mon- Fri, they'd better not cheep at the weekends!

Original poster

BloodySmartarse · 29/08/2008 00:25

at moving chicks into the spare room when he isnt around to argue.

oh right i see what you mean re price. ok, right well i'll decide tomorrow what to do, whether to send it you or not... its all boxed so should be a piece of cake to post it...

ooh duchess thats tres good to hear... i shall hatch away to my hearts content then (or for as long as i can still get live eggs anyways)

OP posts:

Takver · 29/08/2008 10:06

all I can say re spare bedroom is that once they are more than babies, chickens niff . . . .
I have put my foot down flat at any more chicks, ducklings, baby parrots (took dd about 2 seconds to find out that you can buy parrot eggs on the internet) or anything else in the house!

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