# Anyone Hatching Right Now?



## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

My ducks are still laying an egg a day, so I thought I would try again and see if I could get any ducklings to hatch. You know, because this time of year isnt busy enough.  While I'm at it, I'm going to toss a couple dozen chicken eggs in the incubator as a control group. Anyone else running their incubators?


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Trying really hard to resist until Feb.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

saritamae said:


> Anyone else running their incubators?


 I just recently cut mine off----on 24/7 for almost 1 1/2 years----some time several incubators running, as many as 949 eggs incubating at one time---LOL. I had a couple hens to hatch out recently------I am at a stand still on incubating------kinda!!


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## sprucie (May 13, 2012)

I have mine going with some sq black australorp eggs. With any luck they should hatch next week.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

I'm still shipping eggs to others though, no silkies, just my LF lavender frizzle cochins.


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## farmsteader6 (Dec 19, 2014)

I have 18 royal palm turkey eggs in the incubator right now. The first 6 due to hatch tomorrow.


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## donrae (Nov 13, 2015)

I had said I was going to shut it all down for the winter. Then I forgot to call a local lady who was collecting eggs for me and cancel, so I have a dozen Colombian Wyandotte eggs. The thing is, while she was collecting them, she put them under her broody hen "to keep them warm"...so I have one that's hatched already, some that have barely started developing. But that's it for the season, I swear. Unplugging the bator, taking the hatcher out of the house, waiting til probably Feb. Then, all bets are off lol.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

nice of the lady to cut your hatch waiting time down a bit


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

The last batch of ducklings will supposedly hatch, either this week or next, I forget (I write the hatch dates right on the dang eggs, but those are out in the shed). This weeks batch were duds though. Still figuring this dang thing out.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2015)

I'm hatching a few.


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

Hmm ... swap roosters, wait ten days, collect eggs for 7-10 days ... looks like I will be setting around solstice (22nd).

eep:
Don't tell hubby though ...


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

Lol I fired my bator up while mine was away hunting for a few days. He walked in and just rolled his eyes and said that when it's time to move, I have to move all of my hatchlings myself. I said I HAD TO do it because there's a ban on shipping live poultry to Ohio!


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

LOL My hubby is the opposite: instead of rolling his eyes, he'll get all excited and then it's about three weeks of questions (his memory retention is not so good after a couple concussions). I may put this up on the calendar this time.


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## farmsteader6 (Dec 19, 2014)

Turkey eggs were due to hatch sunday/monday. After none hatched i candled them again and no luck. I dont think im getting to the eggs quick enough after they are laid.


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## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

I had a hen go broody on me back in October and since I didn't want winter chicks I was taking eggs out from under her for two weeks. I got tired of that and figured if she was that insistent I would let her do her thing. She was sitting on ten eggs that I marked with a sharpie and three chicks have hatched this past weekend so far. Some eggs got broken due to other idiot hens squeezing in the nest beside her to lay their eggs and two were full term but died. At this point there are three chicks in there and one egg left unhatched that I will dispose of if it doesn't hatch in the next couple of days. Fortunately the weather has been warmer than usual so far so I'm hoping they well be ok. I don't want chicks in the house for the winter.


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

My hubby gets really excited in the spring during chick days and can't resist coming home without something. He forgets who takes care of all of his foundlings, lol.


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## FCLady (Jan 23, 2011)

I hatch all winter and sell spring pullets...


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

FCLady said:


> I hatch all winter and sell spring pullets...


I'm trying to hatch all winter because we're in the very deep south. I'll likely have spring pullets near lay come equinox (first batch hatched Oct 19th). I just need to be careful not to get too far ahead of hubby's ability to build ... :whistlin:


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

dfr1973 said:


> I just need to be careful not to get too far ahead of hubby's ability to build ... :whistlin:


You may've just described all my problems this month.  I've started to do the building myself but I'm inexperienced so I'm SLOW. But I've got about three quarters of the PVC for a chicken tractor cut...


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

That's my problem too! Hubby can build much faster than me, but I genuinely like doing it. 

I put these eggs in the incubator none too soon. I lost one of my laying ducks to a predator last night. First time I've ever had anything go after the ducks. Hopefully I'll have some New Year's ducklings. (Fingers crossed)


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

marusempai said:


> You may've just described all my problems this month.  I've started to do the building myself but I'm inexperienced so I'm SLOW. But I've got about three quarters of the PVC for a chicken tractor cut...





saritamae said:


> That's my problem too! Hubby can build much faster than me, but I genuinely like doing it.


Just keep going, you'll get faster....practice makes perfect(or at least faster).


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

We are waiting until February. My oldest asked if we could put some eggs in the incubator yesterday and I asked if he wanted chicks living in his room until they were big enough to handle the weather. He quickly decided that was not a good idea.


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## farmsteader6 (Dec 19, 2014)

NEfarmgirl said:


> We are waiting until February. My oldest asked if we could put some eggs in the incubator yesterday and I asked if he wanted chicks living in his room until they were big enough to handle the weather. He quickly decided that was not a good idea.



That wouldnt work with my kids. They would jump at the chance to bring chickens inside. Lol.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

neighbor asked me to hatch some chicks, I reminded her the chicks would have to stay in HER house all winter! She said she would wait. I lost all my buff orpingtons so might just have to go to chick days!


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## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

Now I have another little cochin trying to be broody. What's up with these cochins wanting to set all year round? Maybe it's the above average temperatures we're having right now.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2015)

dfr1973 said:


> Hmm ... swap roosters, wait ten days, collect eggs for 7-10 days ... looks like I will be setting around solstice (22nd).
> 
> eep:
> Don't tell hubby though ...


FYI: I had some polish and Marans running together in a pen.

I took the Marans pullets out of that pen a couple months ago and put them with Marans roosters.

I waited 3 weeks, then started setting the eggs from the Marans. The first hatch, one of the chicks hatched looking like a buff polish. This chick hatched from a chocolate egg. No egg mixups, and besides, the polish pullets haven't even started laying yet.

It's almost completely feathered out now, and it's buff colored without the white lacing of a pure bred buff polish. It's got some grayish markings, too.

Obviously, 4 month old Polish cockerels are fertile, and 3 weeks wasn't long enough.


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

ladycat, I know I am risking some crossbreeds, but they'll be obvious. I took out hubby's "yard ornament," a golden duckwing colored mostly Welsummer, and put in a Wyandotte. I'd need to wait a good 30 days if I was concerned, but right now, the incubator is calling.


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

Last of the eggs for this year went in the hatcher last night - and I have a pip this morning! Hopefully they will all hatch again, but I am done until spring either way.


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## tree-farmer (Jul 5, 2015)

We hatched 4 chicks with a broody about a month ago. They were in the basement doing great until one of the dogs got in. I was pretty sad about that. Now we've got a lonely chick in a box in the kitchen...


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## Jwest50 (Nov 20, 2015)

I'd love som LF Cochin eggs. How would I get them?


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## Jwest50 (Nov 20, 2015)

Tiempo said:


> I'm still shipping eggs to others though, no silkies, just my LF lavender frizzle cochins.



I'd love some LF eggs to hatch. How do I get them?


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

I just have to share my disappointing hatch news. We had multiple power outages as the power company replaced poles in my area. Out of 14 duck eggs and 4 chicken eggs, I ended up with 1 chick. Most of the eggs were in various stages of development, so i know they were fertile and viable. I put 8 more chicken eggs in to test my incubator, and all but 1 have started hatching. I'm happy that my incubator is still working ok, but I'm disappointed that I didn't get a single duckling.


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## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

saritamae said:


> I just have to share my disappointing hatch news. We had multiple power outages as the power company replaced poles in my area. Out of 14 duck eggs and 4 chicken eggs, I ended up with 1 chick. Most of the eggs were in various stages of development, so i know they were fertile and viable. I put 8 more chicken eggs in to test my incubator, and all but 1 have started hatching. I'm happy that my incubator is still working ok, but I'm disappointed that I didn't get a single duckling.


That's tough, sorry to hear that. I have a small inverter that I can attach to the battery in my pickup truck with alligator clips then I run an extension cord into the house to run the incubator when the power goes out. The incubator takes very little power so the battery in the truck lasts most of the day although I usually start the truck every four or five hours just to make sure. It's saved my bacon a couple of times.


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2016)

Saritamae, I have been there done that! 
So happy I now have a generator so I don't have to worry about the incubators during power outages!


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

dfr1973 said:


> Hmm ... swap roosters, wait ten days, collect eggs for 7-10 days ... looks like I will be setting around solstice (22nd).
> 
> eep:
> Don't tell hubby though ...


The pullets filled the incubator by the 20th, so I set then. They started hatching last evening ... happy birthday to me! Then at zero-dark-thirty, a couple Wyandotte chicks hatched and began peeping. They are significantly louder than Silkie chicks.


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

I always forget how loud they are until I have a 'bator or brooder full of peeping.


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## Bettacreek (May 19, 2012)

I put just under 250 quail eggs into the bator the other day. I'm not looking forward to the mess, but can't wait for the babies!


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

what do you that hatch quail to with them? I see eggs on ebay all the time


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## Lady89 (Feb 22, 2014)

No but I did just give 3 dozen to a guy down the road who wanted to do a winter hatching


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Forcast said:


> what do you that hatch quail to with them? I see eggs on ebay all the time


 I do not hatch any, but alot of people eat them. I have seen 1000's sell at the Auctions, some for food, some to turm loose at hunting clubs for hunting. Some for people wanting to breed them for the same above.


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

I mostly have them for the meat. Until I had them, I didn't realize how quickly they go from egg to table. Also, if you have babies, a quail egg is the perfect size for when they begin eating.


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

Just for fun: gold laced Wyandottes and blue and splash Silkies


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## Bettacreek (May 19, 2012)

Coturnix quail are great for meat and eggs, and some people use them for training bird dogs, because they aren't flighty and when they do fly, it's not very far. They're great for urban homesteads, because they can be kept in rabbit hutches without neighbors knowing they are there... And you can keep males without listening to crowing, so city-dwellers who can't keep roosters CAN keep breeding groups of quail.


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## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

My two chicks that were hatched out in the coop on Nov. 30 are running around in the snow with Momma right now. The nights have been down around -15c and its about -10c now mid morning. Seems when they get a chill on Momma settles down wherever she is and they crawl in under her feathers. I think the extended warm season we have had this year was a benefit but the chicks seem to be getting along just fine in the cold. I didn't really want her to hatch out this late in the season but I wanted to see if it would work and kept a closer eye on them than usual. If another hen goes broody on me now I"m actually considering letting her hatch some eggs out.


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

dfr, I have chick envy! They look great!


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## BamaHomestead (Jan 18, 2016)

I've heard that quail are expensive to feed ?


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## BamaHomestead (Jan 18, 2016)

What's the life cycle times of a quail? Like from egg to laying and when to butcher ?


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

what do you do with quail?


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Forcast said:


> what do you do with quail?


 Eat some, raise some more to eat/sell!!!


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

they are so small to pick and eat or do you just skin


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2016)

BamaHomestead said:


> What's the life cycle times of a quail? Like from egg to laying and when to butcher ?


Eggs take 18 days to hatch, they start laying when they're 6 weeks old, and they are ready to butcher at 8-10 weeks when they've reached full size.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

For you Forcast! [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve40V1xuXLk[/ame]


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

Butchering them is really quick. When I did my first 3, it only took me 15 minutes and I had never butchered a quail before. I just watched a bunch of YouTube videos and went for it.


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

While y'all have seen these chicks already, hubby just managed to snap the ultimate cute chick photo:


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

I hatched 11 gray silkies yesterday


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## Bettacreek (May 19, 2012)

A look into the incubator. The kids had a 2 hour delay this morning, so they helped me count chicks and pull out empty shells. The chicks are all smooshed up front because that's where I put them back. They aren't actually that squished for space in there!


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2016)

Bettacreek, are those quail?


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Thank Fireman that was great! So I get a bunch of eggs - hatch- raise up- turn loose and shoot! Sound easy as 1 2 3 hehe


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

My 3 year old pulled the incubators out and set one up so I let him collect some eggs he picked 6 . Set them and learned to candle all good to go. They all hatched 5 jersey giants and on phenex (sp). He is so proud of himself, so once again we have baby chicks in the kitchen. What fun. I always feel like a god of somekind when hatching an egg. Its a strange power that happens deep inside. I think my little one felt it too.


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## Bettacreek (May 19, 2012)

Yes, those are coturnix quail. Jumbo Texas A&M and jumbo browns.  There were 126 of them when I took that photo. More have hatched since and quite a few more to go.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Forcast said:


> Thank Fireman that was great! So I get a bunch of eggs - hatch- raise up- turn loose and shoot! Sound easy as 1 2 3 hehe


Save the Bullets----just get them out the cages---lol. But you could if you like to shoot!!


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Fire-Man said:


> Save the Bullets----just get them out the cages---lol. But you could if you like to shoot!!


Your the best Fire-Man:happy2:


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

Another batch, set up this morning. GLWs and Meaties in this time.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

dfr1973 said:


> Another batch, set up this morning. GLWs and Meaties in this time.


What breed for meaties? 
I like the high sides of that bator, what brand?


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

aart said:


> I like the high sides of that bator, what brand?


Aart I have several like that, one is a hovabator 1602 (I think), another is by GQF but it might be a hovabator too---not looking at them.


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

aart said:


> What breed for meaties?
> I like the high sides of that bator, what brand?


My Meaties are a Wyandotte/Red Broiler cross, except one pullet who just started laying who is GLW/Black Sex-Link with full Wyandotte rooster. I have this wonderfully WIDE Wyandotte rooster who hatched with a single comb ... on the two (Meaties, pullets) chicks he's sired so far, he throws a wonderfully wide hip and tail (very wide based triangle shape from behind).

The incubator is the GQF Hovabator Genesis 1588.

Pics of parent stock for my Meaties, from end of July - Spikey is bigger and meatier now.


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## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

dfr1973 said:


> Another batch, set up this morning. GLWs and Meaties in this time.


That looks like the exact same 'bator and turner that I have. It's a great setup and it's worked very well for me. I figured out it costs me a little over a dollar in electricity at Ontario's prices for the hatching period so that's pretty good.

I have about 40 birds but I have at least seven, maybe eight different breeds so I have no idea what I'm going to get in each hatch. I love the variety and look forward to the surprises at each hatching.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Any hints for hatching turkey eggs?


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Forcast said:


> Any hints for hatching turkey eggs?


 I just put them in the incubator just like a chicken egg---just takes a week longer.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

ok I will give her a go.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

Forcast said:


> Any hints for hatching turkey eggs?


I like to incubate at 98 instead of the usual 99.5 degrees, turkey eggs seem to fry way easier during a temp spike than most other species. The shells are so thick they hold internal heat for awhile during a temp dip, it isnt as detrimental to the incubation process as a temp spike. I have seen turkeys leave the nest for over a day and come back, the eggs still hatch! Worst that could happen at a lower temp, the turkeys may take a day or so longer to hatch. 
Turkey eggs as a rule are pretty tough, but the poults themselves can be impossibly frail sometimes.
Turkey eggs are good from my personal experience to hold a little longer than 10 days before setting too if anyone is interested in that.. 
Broodies are always better, IMO.
Don't attempt to help poults out of the shell the way you might a chick who is having hatching trouble. Never had one survive that I helped out of the shell.
Turkeys take 28 days to hatch.


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## BamaHomestead (Jan 18, 2016)

http://youtu.be/pjuW2ZofM1o


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## farmsteader6 (Dec 19, 2014)

Just set 32 chicken eggs today. There are barred rocks, silver laced wyandotts, buff orphingtons and black australorps. And maybe a barnyard special or 3. Lol.


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## saritamae (Jun 2, 2012)

I'm holding off on incubating anything right now. I have more egg customers than I have eggs to sell, and my KCs have started molting, and the muscovies haven't started laying yet. I have 2 barnyard specials and 2 speckled sussex in my brooder so it's not totally quiet around here.


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