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

[foxvalleyfarm]

So just so you know here is what I came up with. There are 51 total eggs. 39 duck, 2 goose, and 19 chickens.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Hey guys... Look what I woke up to this morning!!!!






When I went to bed it was laying on its back and didn't look so good, got up at 1:30 and it was in the same position, looked like it was have a spasm.. I truly didn't think it would make it to this morning, thought I would wake up to a dead chick... Got up at 5am to get hubby off to work and the little one was chirping and running around.. I'm not ashamed to say I gave thanks and shed a tear...

Oh what a little darling! Cute as a button she is! Pray that the Lord continues to strengthen her day by day and that she will be healthy and strong.

 

[ocap]

Tomorrow at 10 am will be the end of my 21st day...I had one chick pip on the wrong end of the egg and die this morning, and another who hatched today that is all by her lonesome in the brooder....and she isn't happy about it. No external pips in the rest but a lot of rocking and rolling of eggs. Hopefully more action in the next 24 hours

Did I read somewhere that if your incubation temp is a little on the low side that it will prolong incubation time or a little higher temp will shorten it? Or did I just dream that I read that???

I had a very late hatch (first pip day 21 plus 12 hours) and ask that question, answer was slightly warmer than 99.5 for first 18 days slightly less for rest of the hatch, I am now trying to maintain 100*F and 99*F. Four thermometers, four different temperatures, hatch rate on the last batch was 50% with no candling, some people don't count the clears on day 10 because they are not fertile.

 

[aart]

Quote: Yep, its true. I've read it in lots of thread too and it makes sense. Where there was a dip in temp for an hour to a day, and it pushed the hatch date out.

Mine's just an incubator too!

Just no knobs and such.

Well, there's the 'knob' on the heating pad you've had to adjust by watching your thermometer.....

....definitely a unique homemade incubator with a human thermostat instead of a mechanical one.

 

[AmericanMom]

Oh what a little darling! Cute as a button she is! Pray that the Lord continues to strengthen her day by day and that she will be healthy and strong.

I for one am not ashamed to admit that I asked God o allow this little one to live.. when I woke up at 1:30 and saw the shape she was in it broke my heart knowing what was going to have to be done.. I placed her in Gods hands.. Someone said earlier in this thread that some folks don't believe God takes care of the little things, I would beg to differ, the problem with most of us smart human types is that we make up explanations for those little things.. God is all around us and I am thankful for each and every little thing he does for me..


We placed her under the Momma last night, once again momma didn't protest... did get baby to eat a bit of boiled egg yolk and drink some water before taking her out...

 

[AmericanMom]

yeah!!! she accepted little miracle ! working on moving her and the chicks tonight to a more secure coop and run alongside but not with the rest of the flock...

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

Here are my 2 new babies and Luke.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Quote: I watched my silkie do that with 5 of her eggs and babies. I stayed in the coop and watched the whole thing, she'd roll the zips out and watch them hatch; when hatched she put them back under her--it was amazing. I, of course was worried she'd shrink wrap them but all hatched perfectly!

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Quote:

 

[Beekissed]

Isn't that amazing? I wonder why they shrink wrap in an incubator but don't out in the open air? Whatever the reason, I'm going to try it this time if I am there when they are pipping and zipping to see if it works in my nest too. I can't do any worse than I did last time, that's for sure!