April Fools 2014 - BYC Sponsored Study: Increase Chicken Broodiness By Up To 48% With Aluminum Foil

[Sjisty]

I'm going to start making foil coats for my hens. That should work, too, right?

 

[Baymule]

What a brilliant idea!! I have some heavy duty aluminum foil and I'm closing the laptop and running to the coop!!!

 

[WindStep]

Now everyone who knows me knows I wear a tin foil hat when I'm near silkies, so I never posted this hint. I just figured everyone would say "that Rancher he's nuttier than a fruit cake" and wouldn't believe me.

Last year I had so many broodies and even three in one box. It completely makes sense when you consider that there are dogs that can help detect if someone is going to have a seizure or the glucose level is high.

Then there was the story of the cat who lived in a nursing home and would sleep with folks it knew were going to pass on. It would come in and get on their bed to comfort them. True story. No lie.

And what about the study that showed animals acting weird just before a storm or earthquake.

Canine Cancer Detection | Saving lives one sniff at a time


Can Animals Predict Earthquakes? | LiveScience


So this tin foil thing totallly makes sense but folks just think I'm nuts. I don't care, I just know my hens will brood more often with the tin foil than not.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Here are some more photos of the UofA research farm that assisted in this study.

These were taken at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville Poultry Research Farm. Dr. Kieth Bramwell gave us a full tour of the heritage breeding barn and egg room.

 

[rancher hicks]

How do I make little tinfoil hats for my Aussies?????

The last NY chickenstock I went to I know there would be Silkies there, so I just put a square of tin foil under my Ball cap so no one would see I was wearing it. I'm also doing it during Chick days at Tractor Supply cuz sometimes they have Silky chicks and I can't be sure there aren't any there.

 

[chickendude]

I don't understand how aluminum reflects hormones. Hormones are not radiant, they're proteins. I need a better explanation of the mechanism before I can wrap my mind around it. That's not to say that I don't believe the data, I just don't quite understand the exact mechanism by which a secreted hormone is reflected by aluminum and why something insular like plastic wrap or plastic in general (maybe making a nestbox out of a cooler) doesn't have a greater effect than aluminum. I understand about wavelengths of light, but hormones aren't light, they don't adhere to the properties of a photon, how is this possible? Someone please explain and be as technical as possible, I have a background in molecular bio, so I can understand the physics and biochem aspects if they're explained to me, I just can't noodle them out myself. Sorry to be the skeptic, I guess I read too much Sagan.

The word “hormone” is derived from the Greek word hormo which means “to set in motion.” Hormones stimulate and regulate an endless list of critical functions within the chickens body. Hormones that are set in motion are being radiated (for a lack of a better word) Therefore by adding the aluminum foil this will simply amplify the radiant strength produced causing brooding or fried chicken depending on ambient temperatures. And don't forget to add the Flux Capacitor on the roof. I Hope this helps you. Happy brooding.​

 

[BunnyLover44]

Whould this method of using Aluminum increase or decrease the hens laying?

 

[malan37209]

so I was up all night awake, thinking that some how a silkies irregular feathers might have something to do with their inherent broodiness. (fine aluminum particles naturally found in the soil and sand where they dust bathe coat their irregular feathers and acts as a shield to keep in a abnormally high concentration of hormones.
and this got me thinking, can I do anything else to make her go broody faster, apart from her normal three month turn around time.
so I got up at 1 or so in the morning, fashioned me a nice tin foil hat for my silkie Bertha, and put it on her while she was sleeping. come morning she is still wearing her hat and is broody as can be, she only had three eggs, so I decided to give her another six from a black cochin.

 

[chickwhispers]

...

I have a new brooder I just built and lined one end with that reflective bubble wrap. I put 6 new silkies in. I will have to report next year just how broody they get since they are raised with it. I don't have a flux capacitor to put in it though.

I don't think that will work as well. The wave reflections off the spherical shapes of the bubble wrap will cause interference, (with the reflection from each bubble crossing those from the other bubbles) diminishing the effect greatly.

Ah I see. But the reflection off each bubble will also produce one reflection directed straight out from it's center and since there are many direct reflections that would compensate for any interference. Worth a try. I'll have to research further.