Simulated Natural Nest Incubation~Experiment #1 So it begins....

[Debs55]

Subscribing!

 

[Beekissed]

Well....got home and the nest surface temps had fallen due to a cold house. The nest temps had dropped to around 94* by the time we got home as the house was cold and the fire had gone out. If I had to estimate how long it took for that fire to go out I would say that the house wasn't really dropping in temps until Sat in the middle of the day, so it's likely the nest temps didn't drop until a little after that. I don't know what the end results of a cold nest will be but I'm not going to worry too much...I've committed this nest to God and whatever will be, will be as it should have been. I really missed my nest, though...I think the transition to an old biddy is finally complete. I ARE one...officially.

I won't know until I candle one if the temps have affected this hatch but I have faith that all is well...the nest and eggs felt warm and I am raising temps up slowly right now to get them back to 100.5. I'll be candling one in a couple of days just to see if I have development going on and will candle one again around the 13 day to see if I can see one moving. Until then I will continue as before.

Thank you all for the prayers and interests in the hatch...it was hard being away because this is pretty exciting to me.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Well....got home and the nest surface temps had fallen due to a cold house. The nest temps had dropped to around 94* by the time we got home as the house was cold and the fire had gone out. If I had to estimate how long it took for that fire to go out I would say that the house wasn't really dropping in temps until Sat in the middle of the day, so it's likely the nest temps didn't drop until a little after that. I don't know what the end results of a cold nest will be but I'm not going to worry too much...I've committed this nest to God and whatever will be, will be as it should have been. I really missed my nest, though...I think the transition to an old biddy is finally complete. I ARE one...officially.

I won't know until I candle one if the temps have affected this hatch but I have faith that all is well...the nest and eggs felt warm and I am raising temps up slowly right now to get them back to 100.5. I'll be candling one in a couple of days just to see if I have development going on and will candle one again around the 13 day to see if I can see one moving. Until then I will continue as before.

Thank you all for the prayers and interests in the hatch...it was hard being away because this is pretty exciting to me.

We've had broodies loose their clutch for long enough that the eggs were dead cold before we figured it out ... and chicks still hatched. I think there is more "give" in the natural system than we believe. I'm still pulling for your eggs!

 

[Beekissed]

We've had broodies loose their clutch for long enough that the eggs were dead cold before we figured it out ... and chicks still hatched. I think there is more "give" in the natural system than we believe. I'm still pulling for your eggs!

That's what Fred says too...my thermometer should be inside of a water wiggler to get the correct temps of the eggs themselves, but it's just lying on top of the eggs, so that doesn't tell me much more than how hot that heating pad is where it contacts the eggs.

Thank you for the encouraging words about that, LJ..you know it's going to bug me until I find out!

But...my faith is strong and I'm convinced that this method will yield good results, so it's worth the wait and time to find out.

 

[Beekissed]

The nest is back on track for temps, so I uncovered, shuffled and turned the eggs. Since they have not been shuffled for 2 days, this will be the last shuffle for 2 more days so the outside eggs get as much time on the inside that the inside eggs got. All were turned. For the next two days the eggs will be turned but not shuffled. Nesting soil was misted down, feathers were replaced on top and those were misted as well, nest buttoned back up. Tomorrow I'll give them a good "airing out" while the "broody" goes for water, food and a poop.

Back to routine as normal here and will see what happens in the end. When I do the next one the "soil" under the nest will be deeper and have a higher soil content than this one so that it holds moisture better.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

That's what Fred says too...my thermometer should be inside of a water wiggler to get the correct temps of the eggs themselves, but it's just lying on top of the eggs, so that doesn't tell me much more than how hot that heating pad is where it contacts the eggs.

Thank you for the encouraging words about that, LJ..you know it's going to bug me until I find out!

But...my faith is strong and I'm convinced that this method will yield good results, so it's worth the wait and time to find out.

You're going to be on pins and needles. And 21 days is a long time for that. You are brave.

 

[aart]

Better too cool than too hot!

 

[aussie pete]

hi Jules ,from my experience ,if development has started,short period of lower temps will only extend overall hatch time.
yr first candling will be very interesting

 

[Shellz]

I believe you're still on track, Bee. I have faith it'll all work out too.

 

[Beekissed]

hi Jules ,from my experience ,if development has started,short period of lower temps will only extend overall hatch time.
yr first candling will be very interesting

Thanks, Pete! I was wondering about the worst case scenario on it and that takes a big load off my mind!

I was thinking death or severely malformed chicks, which would be worse than death.

I've seen all the tutorials on candling but I still don't see what those folks see in those eggs so it's more likely that I will still be in the dark on that candling. I think I'll just have to wait til the very end and be surprised. That's always better anyway!