Daily Embryo Development Video

[hnorth]

Hi everyone,
I found this older video that shows development of embryos.

A little about myself:
Im just getting back into raising poultry after a decade long hiatus. I live in a rural area and getting local eggs has been pretty easy. So, I didn't bother with keeping my own chickens. This last summer, for whatever reason, my local egg farmer reported a sudden drop in egg production from their hens. Since I already had a well designed coop and run, I figured, why not raise chickens again. And so it began...

This time, I went down the Egg Incubation rabbit hole watching scores to videos and reading threads on this site. I am known to jump into things like this with both feet and I researched DIY incubator builds, finally settling on a modified Russ Lane, two bulb style coolerbator. My 1st attempt was a still air Styrofoam, one bulb/dimmer switch unit. I found some eggs on the Bay and bought them. They arrived at my door in 3 day's time. I had the dimmer switch-bator up and running for a 24 hour burn-in. I got it to 37.5C and could hold it there with some fiddling. The constant adjustment in opening vents and dialing in 37.5C was causing me to run around and fuss over them. Finally, I made a trip to our local hardware store and purchased an upper water heater thermostat and built a second styrofoam box with the WH therm installed. I mounted it on the interior wall, unaware that it was designed to measure temperatures within an inch or two. I could not seem to dial it in, due to wild spike/swings in temp that would probably kill an embryo. Meanwhile, I ordered two digital thermostats and replaced the WH thermostat with one of them. It solved the spike/swing issue! I went shopping at walmart and bought a 48 quart Igloo cooler and the hardware, resigned to 'do it right'.

I am currently on day 10 of a batch of a dozen Bielefelder eggs. Im not going to lie, there has been some trial and error on these poor eggs. But with imperfect candling technique, I can see development. When I think of a broody hen and her habits, I worry less about humidity and temps. I have some Icelandic eggs speeding along, at the tender mercies of the USPS at this very moment.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!!

That's an interesting story you have for your first incubator and hatching adventure. Hopefully, you'll have some chicks in about 11 days or so! Keep us posted!

 

[hnorth]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!!

That's an interesting story you have for your first incubator and hatching adventure. Hopefully, you'll have some chicks in about 11 days or so! Keep us posted!

Thanks for the welcome, Debbie. I have my fingers crossed. My latest incubator is holding steady at 37.5 and happily humming and clicking the light on and off with an assortment of three breeds of chickens: Bielefelders, Icelandics and Deathlayers.

It will be a staggered hatching. I am planning on putting the 1st group into one of the styrofoam units on day 18 and so on. If things work out well, I will post pictures.

My goal is a dozen laying pullets and at least one (relatively quiet) rooster.

 

[hnorth]

Here is what I have built.

 

[hnorth]

Hi everyone,
I found this older video that shows development of embryos.

A little about myself:
Im just getting back into raising poultry after a decade long hiatus. I live in a rural area and getting local eggs has been pretty easy. So, I didn't bother with keeping my own chickens. This last summer, for whatever reason, my local egg farmer reported a sudden drop in egg production from their hens. Since I already had a well designed coop and run, I figured, why not raise chickens again. And so it began...

This time, I went down the Egg Incubation rabbit hole watching scores to videos and reading threads on this site. I am known to jump into things like this with both feet and I researched DIY incubator builds, finally settling on a modified Russ Lane, two bulb style coolerbator. My 1st attempt was a still air Styrofoam, one bulb/dimmer switch unit. I found some eggs on the Bay and bought them. They arrived at my door in 3 day's time. I had the dimmer switch-bator up and running for a 24 hour burn-in. I got it to 37.5C and could hold it there with some fiddling. The constant adjustment in opening vents and dialing in 37.5C was causing me to run around and fuss over them. Finally, I made a trip to our local hardware store and purchased an upper water heater thermostat and built a second styrofoam box with the WH therm installed. I mounted it on the interior wall, unaware that it was designed to measure temperatures within an inch or two. I could not seem to dial it in, due to wild spike/swings in temp that would probably kill an embryo. Meanwhile, I ordered two digital thermostats and replaced the WH thermostat with one of them. It solved the spike/swing issue! I went shopping at walmart and bought a 48 quart Igloo cooler and the hardware, resigned to 'do it right'.

I am currently on day 10 of a batch of a dozen Bielefelder eggs. Im not going to lie, there has been some trial and error on these poor eggs. But with imperfect candling technique, I can see development. When I think of a broody hen and her habits, I worry less about humidity and temps. I have some Icelandic eggs speeding along, at the tender mercies of the USPS at this very moment.

Today is day 17. Tomorrow will be lockdown for this first group of eggs. Out of the original 13 shipped eggs., 8 appear to have birds in them.