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

[Cowpoke]

Hello Bee,
I had to go out of town for a few days and just caught up on the posts.
Congratulations on hatching out a beautiful chick! I’m so sorry to hear about the other two that didn’t make it. I feel like the Good Lord just didn’t mean for them to be viable. So I am Glad You prayed to the Lord about making your decision to try again. And I am also Glad you have decided to try again with some tweaks that you have learned along the way.

I want to personally Thank You!!! For Posting the excellent pics and video and for inviting us to share in your experience! The knowledge we have gained from Your experience is PRICELESS!!!! And for that, I am Grateful.

Now on a Happier note…… Please keep us informed to all of the details on the new experience, such as:

1. Size of box
2. Depth and makeup of the soil and underlying nest material
3. Temp and Humidity control
4. Egg treatment, turning , candling, marking, float testing details
5. Water wiggler placement
6. Heat pad details & placement
7. Type and amount of eggs

I and many others are behind You for moral support and are rooting you on!!!!! May GOD BLESS YOU and YOUR NEW ENDEAVOR!!!

 

[Cowpoke]

Awesome, Cute pics! Thank You Bee! And Hootie will always be special!

 

[TexasLisa]

Bee, that is a nice setup you have!

Hootie is so adorable!

Lisa

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Hootie now has brooder mates~10 large, healthy and screamin' CX that make him look like a little raisin! All are ensconced in the outside brooder where the ambient temps are 38* and I'm not sure about the temps under the brooder pad except "nice and warm". They were all stuffed under there while peeping their fool heads off and it was like turning off a switch it got so quiet.

...

Waaaaaayyyyyy in the back...can you see him? Little Hootie has some family now to keep him warm and give him companionship...he was starting to imprint on me, just that quick! He'll have to get tough with this crowd pushing and shoving him around.

Dwwwaaaaa! Say what you will about Cornish X ... but they are such cute little chickie monsters. SO cute!

 

[ocap]

if you want to read about adding no humidity until day 18 I will try and find the method here on BYC (dry incubation technique)

 

[aart]

Hootie and the MeatyChicks!

Can't wait to hear of their progression.

 

[Beekissed]

Update and it's gonna make you all sad....Hootie met with an unfortunate accident and died. My ol' Ma went up to gather eggs and didn't understand my water nipple setup underneath the bucket and thought I was using a side cup nipple, so she lowered the bucket onto the surface of the brooder floor so they could reach the side cup nipple. Said she could hear Hootie peeping but could not see him amongst the other chicks running around and so thought he was under the brooder....he wasn't. He was directly under the water bucket and she hadn't seen him....she set the water bucket right on top of him. It wasn't real heavy and he wasn't smashed too much but I think the combination of the weight and the cold bucket on his little body was too much.

When she came back from the coop and said she couldn't see the little guy, I immediately got my shoes on and went to check but it was too late...he was still warm but dead all the same.

And so life goes...it's a funny ol' life, isn't it?

I don't know why she would bother with the water bucket without asking me but she was just trying to make sure those chicks had water...like a fussy old Mama will do..so I don't blame her for it. It's just one of those "wrong place at the wrong time" things for poor Hootie.

For the rest of the chicks, they love the brooder and are eating and drinking, running around and also making use of the warm up place. I'll go up before dark and make sure they are all under the brooder before night falls...it's supposed to get down into the twenties again tonight and this will be a true test of this heating pad brooder.

I'll set that new nest on 3/26 to have a hatch date by Good Friday 4/18, I'm thinking.

 

[Aacre]

That is so unfortunate, Bee! I'm sorry to hear this!

 

[aart]

Oh BUMMER! RIP Hootie

 

[elorraine52]

Update and it's gonna make you all sad....Hootie met with an unfortunate accident and died. My ol' Ma went up to gather eggs and didn't understand my water nipple setup underneath the bucket and thought I was using a side cup nipple, so she lowered the bucket onto the surface of the brooder floor so they could reach the side cup nipple. Said she could hear Hootie peeping but could not see him amongst the other chicks running around and so thought he was under the brooder....he wasn't. He was directly under the water bucket and she hadn't seen him....she set the water bucket right on top of him. It wasn't real heavy and he wasn't smashed too much but I think the combination of the weight and the cold bucket on his little body was too much.

When she came back from the coop and said she couldn't see the little guy, I immediately got my shoes on and went to check but it was too late...he was still warm but dead all the same.

And so life goes...it's a funny ol' life, isn't it?

I don't know why she would bother with the water bucket without asking me but she was just trying to make sure those chicks had water...like a fussy old Mama will do..so I don't blame her for it. It's just one of those "wrong place at the wrong time" things for poor Hootie.

For the rest of the chicks, they love the brooder and are eating and drinking, running around and also making use of the warm up place. I'll go up before dark and make sure they are all under the brooder before night falls...it's supposed to get down into the twenties again tonight and this will be a true test of this heating pad brooder.

I'll set that new nest on 3/26 to have a hatch date by Good Friday 4/18, I'm thinking.

so so sorry to hear of this loss, what a strange thing... my heart goes out to you!