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

[RoseMarie1]

I've heard that the medication can change your quality of life. More energy. Good hopes for you.

Thank you Linda. I'm just a little excited about it to say the least. This has been going on for far tooooooo long. Menopause happened in 07 and it's been going downhill since and getting worse so I am praying it works.

 

[RoseMarie1]

That would be a perfect name this week John.

yep

 

[Cowpoke]

Bee,

Where are you? We are concerned!

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

Of all the folks on BYC I am drawn to you the most.  You are kind, smart, and have such common sense.  As others have said, we listen when you speak because of your knowledge and wisdom--you have taught us so much.  We will forever be indebted to you and thank you for being you!

I agree with this fully.

 

[TexasLisa]

Bee,

Where are you? We are concerned!

x2

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Bee,

Where are you? We are concerned!

I am thinking she needs quiet time off of BYC and wants to privately deal with her hatch. She will let us know how she is and the outcome of her hatch when she is ready.

 

[pogmobum]

Floated all eggs this evening before reading your posts.....10 eggs without any movement.  Removed them and cracked them.  Eight fully formed dead chicks, two that just had mush and had stopped developing before any chick was showing up.  These chicks were cold, stiff and dead, so assuming they've been dead for a bit.  Only have 8 in the nest left that show movement.  Will have to see if they survived the float test or anything else that may happen before hatching.  At this point I don't really care.  Totally defeated and have no excitement left in me right now. 

Took pics...couldn't see anything at all wrong with these chicks.  Perfectly formed, had all their parts, the yolks look good, etc. 

So sorry hope the ones left make it out ok

 

[LightningTFarm]

I have been avidly keeping up with your posts, Bee, and following this experiment from the very beginning. Please don't let it get you down that not all of your eggs are hatching. People who spend tons of money on sophisticated incubators don't always have great hatches at first, either. I have my fingers crossed the rest hatch out just fine! I have learned more from you on so many issues these last couple of years than from anybody else on BYC!!

 

[AmericanMom]

Bee, I know what its like to get to the end and realize something went horribly wrong.. I am so sorry for how you feel because I too felt that way. It never gets easy and if you truly never wish to incubate again I understand.. But Bee, I ask you to one again look at the title of this thread... It says experiment... even if you only get one or two to hatch you have proven that it can be done and can pass the baton to someone else to expand on.. You not only put your time and experience in this, but also your heart and soul.. Chin up lady...so many of us are praying for and with you!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Folks, I'm simply overwhelmed by the kindness you all have shown to me here today...truly. I had to stop reading, cry, and thank the Lord for you all and for all things He has done for me. Blessings shaken down, pressed down and overflowing and my heart can't contain it all! Thank you all for everything!

You wouldn't believe what I have done today and it would take me a whole page to tell it, but I'll try to give you the abbreviated version....first, the nest.

This morning I had a pip on a BA egg, so I placed the wire arch to keep the pad off the eggs and let some air into the clutch. Another egg was peeping but no other signs of hatching for the rest of the eggs. I had to go to town to pick up a rooster out of the mail....yes..you heard me right. A few men on here with hearts of solid gold sent me a heritage line WR cockerel of 11 mo. of age out of Bob Blosl's old line. Just to tell you everything that has happened since then while we were in town and after we got him, with this bird, would take another thread so I'll just say that this bird is pure royalty and he arrived in WV like he owned it.

When we got home about 6 hrs later that egg still just had the same pip and another had a pip and the one that just had an internal pip was still cheeping and I could hear it scritching on the shell. I left it alone and went outside to remake the brooder, supervise a rooster fight, doctor up a meat chick that got injured by the layer flock rooster and get some TSC chicks and ducklings settled into the brooder...had to get some brooder mates for this chick hatching in case he's the only one.

We were outside for 2 hours and when we came back in I could hear him peeping....Hootie Two is out of the shell and already drying off! He's smaller than the last Hootie but he is much stronger and was already good on his feet. He is currently stretched across some nice warm eggs and snoozing his little fuzzy head off. No more action on the other eggs but, guess what? I'm going to keep my hands off the hatch and let things happen....right, Pete?

What I did when I saw this chick was to let him move around a bit out in the fresh air then rolled him back under that pad much like a broodie would and left him to his own devises. The arched fencing wire keeps the pad a little up off the middle of the clutch so he has air to breathe and all and he can still move around...he got clear to the other side of the nest and is sleeping on the eggs on the other side of the clutch. Vigorous chick!

Here's Hootie Two....just looked in on him again and he is a strong chick...gonna make it. And....he has feathered legs and feet!

Cute as the dickens....folks, I think I got my second wind back and my spirit is not quite so broken when I see this healthy, beautiful chick in the nest. Went to TSC to get him some brooder mates today just in case the other eggs don't make it....got him some RIRs and two Khaki Campbell ducklings. Those ducks are just...spectacularly cute! Eight birds to replace the chicks that died in the shell.





And the bloody victor to an epic battle that I finally called a break for and separated the two combatants so Weaver, aka The Rock, could get some water, some food and relax after being overnighted here, traveling all afternoon in the back of a truck and getting right down to business. He's had his first water, his first fermented feed, his first foraging on the land, his first his first battle for the flock and his first breeding all in under 2 hours. He's the most magnificent bird I've ever had the chance to meet...calm, regal, mannerly towards humans, sweet to the ladies and they are already tuned into his maleness like...well...like we ladies would be to The Rock.

Just checked on him and he's next to one of the WR ladies and he's actually cooing...he's cooing to the hen!

What a man.....er...bird!