Cooling periods - yeah or nay?

[Davaroo]

POINT TO PONDER

Do you think incubating eggs should have cooling periods? Some folks allow such a cooling period every other day, for 15 minutes. Some do it everyday, some only once on the 10th day. How about you?

 

[silkiechicken]

I don't do it and they all make it out fine. I guess they cool down when ever I candle though.

 

[speckledhen]

David, I don't myself, but logically, it couldn't hurt. My broody hen would get off the nest for up to 45 minutes at a time and she had a completely successful hatch, so if you think of it that way, a cooling off shouldn't hurt. In fact, it could mimic a more natural incubation.
***I do candle them and they do cool off a little bit for a few minutes, but probably not internally that much.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I don't do it, but I don't see that it would hurt.
It may have some benefit since the hens give the eggs a cool-down daily while they leave the nest do their 'hen business'.

Lisa

 

[Katy]

Well, I figure if we're trying to do it as close as possible as mama hen would be doing it, then they need a cooling period. She gets off to eat and drink, and then comes back and "turns" them when she's settling back on them.

 

[skeeter9]

That's an interesting thought, David. I wonder if there is any physiological benefit to a cooling off period. I haven't found any mention of it in my research on incubation methods, etc, but that doesn't mean the information isn't out there.

Lori

 

[Davaroo]

I haven't found any mention of it in my research on incubation methods, etc, but that doesn't mean the information isn't out there.

It's in most all of the Golden Age books I have. It was something they did before there was all our fancy knowledge.​

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Do the books you have say what the purpose of a cooling off is or what difference it makes in the hatch?

 

[jimnjay]

Good points everyone has made. If you turn your eggs by hand the incubator will naturally cool a bit due to being opened. I am a firm believer in trying to replicate mama hen. She does the best job hatching eggs in my experience. She keeps the eggs on their side, rolls them around in a non specific manner. She leaves them sporadically and for longer periods in the hot summer. My mamas rarely leave the nest during the last three days and if they do, it signals me something is wrong. It has happend twice and both times she was bothered by mites. I was able to make a quick clean out of the nest and spray her so she could settle down again.

The humidity issue has always stumped me because I would assume that the mama does not produce humidity that is 20 points higher than on any given day. I have noticed that her babies always fluff up much quicker than incubator babies. I am not sure how she regulates humidity but it would be interesting to know.

 

[skeeter9]

I've wondered about that myself, Jaynie. I've even picked up one of my setting hens and felt her breast to see if it seemed moist, etc. It just doesn't make any sense that a hen could produce the amount of humidity recommended in our bators. Maybe that's why dry incubation seems to work so well???

Elderoo, I wonder where we would find information on the cooling period that would tell us the physiological effects, if there are any? Maybe one of the Universities has done a study?

Lori