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

[fisherlady]

... yep, use them for breakfast till you notice the size and shape evens out and you aren't finding double yolkers or any other oddities, then you are good to go!

 

[Lacy Blues]

I choose eggs that are normal shaped and size large if possible. Also the egg must be of the normal "egg" shape. Larger on one and pointed on the other.

(I don't know if this applies to your breeds of chickens or not) Another rule of thumb I follow - if the chickens I am breeding are not the same breed, I try to make sure the rooster is not MONSTROUS in size. Thus avoiding chicks that out grow the inside of their egg.

I avoid pullet eggs at all cost.

From what I understand, if the chick gets too big for the egg before the 21st day, humidity is too high and the resulting chick is known as mushy as they are large and very soft bodied.

So, candle before starting then to detect the porous ones. I noticed the Delaware eggs were speckled and porous like this pic. Now, pullet eggs....what does that mean to you folks? To me that is the small, first eggs laid by a pullet in her first month or so of laying but once they reach normal size and shape I consider that a mature egg. What say you?

A young female chicken is known as a pullet until she has reached one year of age. Until that time, she will lay pullet eggs. I don't think its possible for a pullet to lay hen eggs.

 

[Beekissed]

From what I understand, if the chick gets too big for the egg before the 21st day, humidity is too high and the resulting chick is known as mushy as they are large and very soft bodied.


A young female chicken is known as a pullet until she has reached one year of age. Until that time, she will lay pullet eggs. I don't think its possible for a pullet to lay hen eggs.

Can you tell me the difference? Where is that dividing line between pullet and hen egg? Just the calendar date? Other than that, what physical characteristics would one be able to see that differs between the two...say an egg laid at 10 mo. as opposed to 12 mo.?

I must confess, all these years of looking at eggs the only distinguishing characteristic I've been able to see between a pullet egg and what I consider a mature hen's egg is size, consistency of shape and size, and consistency of lay. Is there something I'm missing that I should be looking for?

 

[enola]

When a pullet has quit laying tiny, or odd shaped eggs and her eggs are consistently nice size normal eggs they are ready to use for hatching. I don't worry too much about her age. I just want her to be at least old enough for her reproductive tract to be working 100%.

 

[NVcattle]

I am in agreement with you there. Unless you have ALL pullets or can tell the eggs apart because they are penned separately or a different color, I just call them pullet eggs when they are smaller, sporadic, or some other trait. Once they become full size and stabilize to uniformity, I just call them EGGS. But I am not a pro at incubating, either. Just had chickens for a lot of years, and grew up around them.

I am glad you are kind about your mother and her mistake. I am sure she feels bad. Poor lady.

 

[lazy gardener]

Technically, a pullet is a pullet until she is a year old. And, I think we're all in agreement that an egg from a pullet who has just started laying, and is producing small eggs, is not a good candidate for the incubator. And, I think we would all agree that a good sized egg from a pullet, though technically, still a pullet egg would be good in the incubator if it possesses all of the other qualities of a good hatching egg. So, if the egg passes your hatching criteria, hatch it!! My first hatch was 5/6 from pullets who were laying smallish eggs, and had been laying for about 4 months. Happy hatching, folks.

 

[spaceylocust]

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!!!

So sorry to hear about Hootie.

Prayers for your back and your Mom & Dad. Ditto to all the previous posts.

Cowpoke's list is perfect and we hope you'll share this since it sounds like you're still tweaking your set-up.

 

[RoseMarie1]

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.

oh nooo Bee, I am so sorry!

That is horrible and I know your Mom felt horrible when she found out what she did.

Glad you're going to jump back in and hatch another nest.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Yeah...it was a bad day anyway. The reason she was gathering eggs for me was that my back had went out and I was down for the count, so she thought she would help me. Freak accident due to a string of events that never really happen much here.

Thank you for the encouraging words....from all of you....it means so much to me. I WILL repeat this experiment and will monitor temps more closely and will increase humidity much, much more near the end of the hatch by wetting down the soils more. I was misting the pad but the heat generated there kept burning off the misting, so I think wetting the soils better may be more effective.

oh no I sure hope your back gets better. Saying a prayer for you!!! Backs that are hurting is noooo fun!

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

I really hippie you get better soon Bee. I cracked open my nest today and all but one quit early, but one was super closer. I blame the great spoke on Friday. I would have had s baby on Saturday if the temps hadn't spiked.