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

[Beekissed]

I did have three that were thriving....DID.

 

[aart]

After they warm up and can move again from being too cold, I'll probably shine them to see if I can see anything.

Wait until tonite well after sunset...I find that the darker it is outside the easier to candle with no ambient light coming thru windows.

 

[normanack]

Wait until tonite well after sunset...I find that the darker it is outside the easier to candle with no ambient light coming thru windows.

Agree -- and when I wait in the dark for 10 or 15 minutes, my vision is even better for candling. Plus it's meditative.

 

[Debs55]

Bee I have an unconventional hatch on day 14 too. I had 4 broodies at one time when all of a sudden one quit so now one broody has eggs that are spread out to hatch 2-3 days apart. she also has so many she can barely cover them. Also the eggs that were abandoned were cold when I found them and I canceled yesterday and all 4 were still moving. hope that makes you feel a little better

 

[Beekissed]

Bee I have an unconventional hatch on day 14 too. I had 4 broodies at one time when all of a sudden one quit so now one broody has eggs that are spread out to hatch 2-3 days apart. she also has so many she can barely cover them. Also the eggs that were abandoned were cold when I found them and I canceled yesterday and all 4 were still moving. hope that makes you feel a little better

It does indeed! Thank you!

 

[LindaB220]

Well...hit a few snags last night that may have spelled death for these chicks. The power went out around 2ish and so I put some hot water into a hot water bottle and continued to warm the eggs, with a feather pad between the bottle and the chicks. At one point they got up to around 104, so I immediately took the bottle off, aired them out, and reapplied with more padding between the two and it settled down to 100 and stayed there.

Then the power came back on around 4ish and I put the pad back on them, removing the bottle......and like an idiot, forgot to turn the pad back on. Awakened about 15 min. ago to find the eggs at 80* and I don't know how long they've been like that.

This incubation thread is starting to sound like a "How to Do Everything Wrong While Incubating" book....I may have to utilize that float test just to see if anything lives still in there. I know that folks have told me that temps have dropped in their incubation before and the chicks survived, but was it preceded by a temp spike? Not sure.

Anyhoo...so now the fate of these chicks is uncertain and I only pray that I haven't botched the set. Again. Stayed up half the night to get it right only to forget one thing...one very important thing!

Unusual times, unusual circumstances. Don't beat yourself up over it.

 

[enola]

What happened with your temps?  How did you keep them up? 

I wrapped the incubator with wool blankets It was cold enough this morning to lower the temperature to 44º. So I am just hoping for the best.

 

[Beekissed]

I wrapped the incubator with wool blankets It was cold enough this morning to lower the temperature to 44º. So I am just hoping for the best.

Do you know how low your temps got in the 'bator? Or was the 44* your bator temps?

I'll tell you another stupid....when I turned the pad back on this morning and was waiting for temps to rise, one of my checks revealed the temps dropping again. Then I realized I had forgotten to turn off the option of a 2 hr auto shut off. So...back to the drawing board and the temps are still climbing...slowly....slowly

I feel so old.....

 

[Cowpoke]

Hi Bee,

I'm a new subscriber to this forum and have been keeping up with your hard work and trials. I pray this cooling off period will make them stronger and the best of luck to you!!!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Hang in there Bee. If they weren't at 104 for very long, they might still be ok. In fact, they might be thankful for that following temp drop.