1st hatch of 2008

[brentsquailfarm]

Well this afternoon my first 124 eggs started hatching. So far there is ten new little Butler quail. Going to get crazy around here with the new little ones. I will have to keep an eye on them. All ready got the brooders warmed up with some feed and water in them. If anyone else is starting to hatch please post and let us all know how it's a going.

Brent

[CharlieHorse]

Sounds good Brent, I'm jealous.  Although I'm not hatching anything this spring, maybe later in the year?   I hope.

Good Luck

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

Well this afternoon my first 124 eggs started hatching. So far there is ten new little Butler quail. Going to get crazy around here with the new little ones. I will have to keep an eye on them. All ready got the brooders warmed up with some feed and water in them. If anyone else is starting to hatch please post and let us all know how it's a going.

Brent

Good show! Did you force (artifical lighting) them to start laying or were they laying by normal daylight?

How has the outside temps been? My birds haven't started to lay yet. Last year this time I was getting over 100 pheasant eggs per day, un forced, just natural lighting.

Oh well, I am in no rush for the eggs yet and I hope my birds will hold up until April.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[brentsquailfarm]

Yes I did force them to start laying because I have a lot of egg orders. An I have a little heater in the barn with them. The temps have been cold except for the past weekend. Well after all the 500 eggs hatch this month I will only hatch a few. The rest of the eggs will be sold since I have a lot of orders for them.

Brent

[TLsgamebirdfarm]

Hello All,  the way people say "force" to lay is like saying holding a gun to someones head.  I don't have money to rely on during the winter nor am I desperate enuff to do "pre-sales" on eggs so I have lights on my breeders.  Alot of people want eggs year round to get a jump on things because you never know how many birds your gonna need for the many uses for them. I'm doing ALOT of "trial by error" and trying to get the best out of my birds so I won't be having junk or duds to offer my customers to get eggs when they need them. I find it remarkable to learn all I can from doing this year-round and rotate my breeders after a few months of laying. The "art" or "science" of incubation is a great thing to do to and hopefully parents will get their kid's into this and help keep them from steering in the wrong direction. Thanks, and GOD BLESS, Tommy