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

[Tomtommom]

I'd never tell you to shut up! I love the questions on these threads...they make the thread interesting and it helps other people understand why I just didn't go out and buy an incubator, me being a newbie and all. But, this is the type of incubation with which I'm most familiar...broody hatches...so I thought I should stick with what I know for now.

I'm also a bit laid back and carefree in my flock management and this suited that attitude to a "T".....hatching eggs in a nest seemed like the most natural thing in the world to me!

Oh... we need a broody. THAT would be interesting. Broody Bee vs. Broody hen.. Iron Hatch.

 

[Debs55]

Hey Bee! first off I have been following this thread from the beginning and it is so exciting! Anyway, I know a lot of people have commented on the humidity thing and I have noticed in my silkie broodies that the pine shavings under their nests are always slightly damp even though I always pen my broodies up so they aren't getting into the dew or rain or anything. So I think you are correct in keeping that soil damp. Just my observations and two cents

 

[Beekissed]

Oh... we need a broody. THAT would be interesting. Broody Bee vs. Broody hen.. Iron Hatch.

No contest...I'd lose!

I think now would be a good time to play the upset broody vid to the nest so they can hear a "mama"......

 

[Beekissed]

Hey Bee! first off I have been following this thread from the beginning and it is so exciting! Anyway, I know a lot of people have commented on the humidity thing and I have noticed in my silkie broodies that the pine shavings under their nests are always slightly damp even though I always pen my broodies up so they aren't getting into the dew or rain or anything. So I think you are correct in keeping that soil damp. Just my observations and two cents

I've noticed the same, even when the nest was indoors and on a dry surface, their body seems to produce a lot of humidity during the process of steaming open some eggs.

Thanks for following along!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Thank you! That is so good of you to say... I was thinking the same thing. It's more the eggs than the method because it's working.....saw THREE CHICKS MOVING IN THOSE REMAINING EGGS TONIGHT!!!!!

The other is, of course, a quitter I'm keeping for the heat factor.

That must be so cool to see! Little everyday miracles, growing from a single cell to a fully formed critter in only 3 weeks. I am always in awe.


Quote:
This was going to be my next topic/question. Eggs lay on their side with a broody, but seems most are stood on end to hatch in an incubator. There's more surface area for the broody to warm laying down, but gravity doesn't give her an option! For those who incubate, can you explain why the eggs are hatched upright? (Seems weird to me!

) I expect that the air cells will still slant as they get bigger regardless of egg position, but it will be interesting to see.

This is such interesting stuff.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I can't remember where I downloaded this from, but it may help with comparing your cracked eggs to? Sorry if it's too graphic or something.

After searching around, I found the link for this chart. It's quite a bit larger and easier to see at

http://www.poultryhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Poster_Chick_Embryo_Dev_English.pdf

Thank you for posting this chart BoereMeisie. It really helped me identify the age of one of my chicks that gave up.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Interesting. Just saw this on another thread. Brinsea developed a contact incubator to mimic a broody hen. Bee, yours is about $5,980 cheaper!

http://www.brinsea.com/products/cit1.html

They mention some studies on broody nests.

 

[Lacy Blues]

This was going to be my next topic/question. Eggs lay on their side with a broody, but seems most are stood on end to hatch in an incubator. There's more surface area for the broody to warm laying down, but gravity doesn't give her an option! For those who incubate, can you explain why the eggs are hatched upright? (Seems weird to me!

) I expect that the air cells will still slant as they get bigger regardless of egg position, but it will be interesting to see.

This is such interesting stuff.

It depends on the incubator being used. Some incubators (think large commercial hatchery) incubate on their sides (I think) and have large trays rotating. Other incubators are small and having them upright saves space which allows you to fit more eggs in at a time.

 

[Beekissed]

This was going to be my next topic/question. Eggs lay on their side with a broody, but seems most are stood on end to hatch in an incubator. There's more surface area for the broody to warm laying down, but gravity doesn't give her an option! For those who incubate, can you explain why the eggs are hatched upright? (Seems weird to me!

) I expect that the air cells will still slant as they get bigger regardless of egg position, but it will be interesting to see.

This is such interesting stuff.

I've often had the same question in my mind about artificial incubation. As for incubating these eggs in a natural nest, I've found that when shifting these eggs around randomly in the slightly concave nest, most seemed to naturally roll or wind up with the pointy side downward toward the center of the nest. Only a few didn't wind up that way and those I corrected manually....I'm wondering if the broody doesn't somehow correct that as well, by some instinct unbeknownst to us.

 

[Pyxis]

This was going to be my next topic/question.  Eggs lay on their side with a broody, but seems most are stood on end to hatch in an incubator.  There's more surface area for the broody to warm laying down, but gravity doesn't give her an option!  For those who incubate, can you explain why the eggs are hatched upright? (Seems weird to me! )    I expect that the air cells will still slant as they get bigger regardless of egg position, but it will be interesting to see.

This is such interesting stuff.

I never hatch upright. I incubate upright, but I lay the eggs down on their sides to hatch. Interesting, there have been studies done that show that the chance of some malpositions is actually higher when they are incubated in the traditional horizontal position as opposed to vertical. Kind of weird, right?