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Post by Kickingbird on Dec 11, 2004 18:24:41 GMT -5
Yep, the new year is fast approching and it's time to get your breeders ready to go! This is one of the best times of the year for me as I put my skills to the test choosing which birds will give me the results I want this next season. Tonight I put together three trio pens and I have three more to go for January breeding. Two pens have been set up for two weeks and I'm already getting eggs out of them. Some of you who breed on a natural time table still have a month or two but it will still come fast. Good luck to everyone this breeding season Mark
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Post by Longtail1 on Dec 12, 2004 8:58:51 GMT -5
Mark, I assume then that you use lights on timers and how do you keep the eggs from freezing, an outside heat source?
Rick
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Post by Kickingbird on Dec 12, 2004 9:16:04 GMT -5
Rick,
This time of year is my wifes worst nightmare.....
I take over part of the garage for my early breedings. The building is not heated but it is insulated. My water cups only freeze on the coldest days for these pens.
I also breed two hens per pen. Since I try to keep very strict records I try to put hens to gether that I know I can tell the eggs apart (like large and small or light and dark eggs) If I can't do that then I put sisters together and make that note in my breeding records. This is important becasue over the 8 hours or so I'm out to work there will be two hens sitting on the nest at different times keeping the eggs thawed as they sit to lay an egg.
I have my lights come on (via timer) at 5 a.m. and I check for eggs before I leave in the morning, then I check for them when I get home and again before I retire for the evening. I have not had any eggs freeze to the point where they broke the shell with this method. I have had some get very cold and my fertility is a little lower this time of year but I'm sure it is due to some of the eggs getting cold.
Mark
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Post by stanscrbirds on Dec 12, 2004 12:56:03 GMT -5
Yes, I do the same as Mark, with the lights. But, my birds are all outside. And we get 27 degree weather this time of year, and if we stay on top of the egg collecting, about once every four hours. We don't have a problem with them freezing to the point they crack. And same as Mark, fertility is off a little.
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