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

[Beekissed]

We will revisit the plan in late winter to decide when and what eggs... but should work out great for a meeting.

You are so very kind, you know that?

Yes, we will make plans come winter....a lot can happen between then and now, can't it?

 

[fisherlady]

You are so very kind, you know that?      Yes, we will make plans come winter....a lot can happen between then and now, can't it? 

Yep, you never know...so you do what you can, when you can...and enjoy it while you can! I see 'some days' slip away from people nearly every day at work... I know to cherish 'now' because later may not include everyone you want it to!

But... since we can't count our chickens before they are hatched ( or even laid!) we will hold off on details a while. LOL

 

[Beekissed]

Tomorrow is Day 18. I left for town this morning and neglected to put the spacer between the pad and the eggs...when I came home the thermometer was on 106. Don't know for how long they were at that temp...as best I can tell most of them are still alive but it's hard to say at this point. Last night I had marked the air cells and marked the place for pipping.

I got to thinking, what in the world am I trying to keep the right temps this close to hatch when I have a broody sitting on wooden eggs up in the pen? So, today I took her fake eggs away and gave her all the eggs in this box and am hoping for the best. That way I don't have to watch, worry or wait for a hatch....I'll just let mama do it. She can regulate the temps and humidity, the hatch and helping or not helping the chicks out, etc. I placed them in the nest with the air cells up and hope she knows how to keep that at the optimal place and such.

I'm praying it turns out alright and I'll at least get a few chicks from this box. I'm hoping they are primarily the WR chicks I am waiting for. I'll post progress and pics of the hatch...they will or should be hatching on Sat, June 7th.

 

[fisherlady]

Tomorrow is Day 18. I left for town this morning and neglected to put the spacer between the pad and the eggs...when I came home the thermometer was on 106. Don't know for how long they were at that temp...as best I can tell most of them are still alive but it's hard to say at this point. Last night I had marked the air cells and marked the place for pipping.

I got to thinking, what in the world am I trying to keep the right temps this close to hatch when I have a broody sitting on wooden eggs up in the pen? So, today I took her fake eggs away and gave her all the eggs in this box and am hoping for the best. That way I don't have to watch, worry or wait for a hatch....I'll just let mama do it. She can regulate the temps and humidity, the hatch and helping or not helping the chicks out, etc. I placed them in the nest with the air cells up and hope she knows how to keep that at the optimal place and such.

I'm praying it turns out alright and I'll at least get a few chicks from this box. I'm hoping they are primarily the WR chicks I am waiting for. I'll post progress and pics of the hatch...they will or should be hatching on Sat, June 7th.

. Hoping they do well.... we should be seeing some cute yellow fluffy butts soon!

we have a broody hatch due Thursday, they are a mix of eggs from hens who had been broody earlier in the spring. I think 6 SPR hen eggs and 3 Black Giant hen eggs.... rooster is either a full Black Australorp, a half BA rooster (mama is an EE who lays green eggs), or our head roo... who is a wonderful mutt who is worth his weight in gold to me. I figure with that combination the chicks should be good birds no matter what!

 

[Beekissed]

. Hoping they do well.... we should be seeing some cute yellow fluffy butts soon!

we have a broody hatch due Thursday, they are a mix of eggs from hens who had been broody earlier in the spring. I think 6 SPR hen eggs and 3 Black Giant hen eggs.... rooster is either a full Black Australorp, a half BA rooster (mama is an EE who lays green eggs), or our head roo... who is a wonderful mutt who is worth his weight in gold to me. I figure with that combination the chicks should be good birds no matter what!

I agree! Some mutts are worth breeding just because they are superior in their traits, mutts or not. I have some hatchery girls I would have loved to have offspring from before they died but I waited too late....could kick myself for that. Still trying to get a viable egg from the two old retainers...one of theirs is in this hatch but not sure if it will make it to the finish. My luck it will be a male....

When I put the eggs in her nest she walked right on them, stepping directly on this little mutt egg that I am so badly wanting to hatch and she sat down before I could see if she had broken it or not but she's a big gal, so she had me wincing on that one. I'm so hoping this works! I really need these replacement birds and she really needs to raise some chicks...she has a very strong mothering instinct right now and this is her second brood in a row trying to get some, so she deserves some babies.

 

[Cowpoke]

Tomorrow is Day 18. I left for town this morning and neglected to put the spacer between the pad and the eggs...when I came home the thermometer was on 106. Don't know for how long they were at that temp...as best I can tell most of them are still alive but it's hard to say at this point. Last night I had marked the air cells and marked the place for pipping.

I got to thinking, what in the world am I trying to keep the right temps this close to hatch when I have a broody sitting on wooden eggs up in the pen? So, today I took her fake eggs away and gave her all the eggs in this box and am hoping for the best. That way I don't have to watch, worry or wait for a hatch....I'll just let mama do it. She can regulate the temps and humidity, the hatch and helping or not helping the chicks out, etc. I placed them in the nest with the air cells up and hope she knows how to keep that at the optimal place and such.

I'm praying it turns out alright and I'll at least get a few chicks from this box. I'm hoping they are primarily the WR chicks I am waiting for. I'll post progress and pics of the hatch...they will or should be hatching on Sat, June 7th.

Took advantage of that broody.......wise move. Wishing you a good hatch!

 

[Tomtommom]

for your babies.

 

[Zombified]

Best of luck to you for this hatch, Bee. I know after attempting to hatch and raise ducklings on my own, I don't think I'd trust myself to do it again. I didn't have as much time as I had with Pyrrhos when I first got her. Of course, this week, I only work three days so if Zeus had been born this week, I'd have had plenty of time to bond with him. Siiiigh. =/

At any rate, I've been attempting to re-bond with my flock. They've all become skittish and nippy since two of their flock-mates were killed. I gave them a month to slowly start coming out of the run, trying not to push or frighten them, and now I'm giving them healthy treats. Just today I gave them their favorite - frozen peas! Perfect on such a hot day. They were more eager this time because they won't be able to free range today, or for several days. We're re-doing the fence with our neighbor.

Eris has really blossomed. I just have to share this picture because it's so adorable. I just wish it wasn't out of focus.

 

[Beekissed]

She's very pretty! Wish I could get a close pic of mine like that....I can't even get NEAR my KC, Charlene. She's wild as a mink. Hope to get her a male here soon...am in contact with a fella that has one in my state.

Tomorrow is DAY 21 on this hatch but these box babies have been hatching on DAY 22, so I'm not expecting much tomorrow.....I'll take pics if anything pops out from under that broody. She is sitting on those eggs like her life depends on it, so "lock down" is definitely happening. She is also plain, out right MEAN and will peck hard if I try to visualize her clutch and I don't want to disturb her so am not able to see any of the eggs and how they are fairing right now.

I think she will make a great mother if we get chicks...she's one bad mamma jamma about "her" eggs.

 

[fisherlady]

She's very pretty! Wish I could get a close pic of mine like that....I can't even get NEAR my KC, Charlene. She's wild as a mink. Hope to get her a male here soon...am in contact with a fella that has one in my state.

Tomorrow is DAY 21 on this hatch but these box babies have been hatching on DAY 22, so I'm not expecting much tomorrow.....I'll take pics if anything pops out from under that broody. She is sitting on those eggs like her life depends on it, so "lock down" is definitely happening. She is also plain, out right MEAN and will peck hard if I try to visualize her clutch and I don't want to disturb her so am not able to see any of the eggs and how they are fairing right now.

I think she will make a great mother if we get chicks...she's one bad mamma jamma about "her" eggs.

I am really hoping for a good hatch on your group!! It will be so cool to see a bunch of yellow fluffy butts showing up for you after all you have gone through!

I hear a lot of folks lamenting about how 'horrible' their broodies are... but I am with you, I just see it as a good sign for how they will take care of the little ones after the hatch.
Our barnyard mix mutt has hatched 6 of 8 viables so far, #7 was removed for being sloshy... the last one is questionable and not likely but we left it for tonight, historically I haven't had any luck with eggs which aren't at least pipped within 12 hours of their sibs hatching.
Of her 6, she hatched 2 overnight that DH found at 0530 this morning, I got home from work and checked at 0740 and found 2 more and she hatched #5 and #6 sometime between 2 and 4 this afternoon. By 8 o'clock tonight we had to move her to the broody hut, we usually wait till all eggs either hatch or are pulled but her little ones were already running around like hooligans and her hatching nest box happened to be between boxes which had broodies with 2 week old chicks. We were concerned her little ones would run into the wrong box and 'surprise' the neighboring broody. Our birds are normally good with each other's chicks, but that would be a bit much and I didn't want any harm to come to the too adventurous chicks.
The broody hut is pretty cushy housing actually, and still in the coop, so just a safer spot for the first few days till the youngsters learn to listen a bit better to mama!