Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[ronott1]

Interesting stuff. I would like to dig into this a little further. But the odds of my being able to regulate incubation temperature that closely - especially with my equipment - are... hmmm... about the same as the earth's magnetic poles flipping tomorrow? Hey, it could happen.

Thanks for the info.

Sarah

I agree, Sarah. I have digital auto humidity in my Brinsea Mini Advanced. But I don't think it is adjustable?
If it is adjustable, then one as to be there for the certain hours over the certain days to ramp
it up a degree and then lower it again hours later. Plus, at least 2 of the reference say it results in s much
as 20% more cockerels. Guess that is a good thing if one is raising broilers/roaster?

Hum,
Karen

the new brinsea Octagon incubators have a cool down cycle. Chicken eggs are to be cooled down two hours a day starting on day 7 until day 18. The The stats say than an extra chick per 20 eggs set will hatch. They were still doing experiments to see what worked best for Ducks and etc.

I used the cool down cycle during my last hatch. The chicks hatched very nicely and are very healthy.

 

[call ducks]

Karen,

While Circadian Rhythm incubation is out there - and it's accepted but really used by many yet, as most pre-existing hatchery's have older style incubators (80's-90's early 20's).

Not to say I am skeptical about CRI (because I have been following it for quite some time now) - I am just unsure of it's effectiveness at this time. Pas Reform's institute of technology (or what ever they are calling it) has been one of the leaders in it so they have quite developed research and I am happy about that.

I am unsure that it could be done on a small scale (not saying it can't but you would have to live over that)

From a biological sense I could see cooling the eggs, and adjusting for the CO2 levels being produced.

With the new commerical incubators being made by Pas Reform and Nature form hatcheries technology (among others) variables such as CO2, and core temperature of egg can be closely monitored and adjusted automatically.

For the average (backyard) breeder I would say it's more work than it's worth.

 

[Zanna]

Karen,

While Circadian Rhythm incubation is out there - and it's accepted but really used by many yet, as most pre-existing hatchery's have older style incubators (80's-90's early 20's).

Not to say I am skeptical about CRI (because I have been following it for quite some time now) - I am just unsure of it's effectiveness at this time. Pas Reform's institute of technology (or what ever they are calling it) has been one of the leaders in it so they have quite developed research and I am happy about that.

I am unsure that it could be done on a small scale (not saying it can't but you would have to live over that)

From a biological sense I could see cooling the eggs, and adjusting for the CO2 levels being produced.

With the new commerical incubators being made by Pas Reform and Nature form hatcheries technology (among others) variables such as CO2, and core temperature of egg can be closely monitored and adjusted automatically.

For the average (backyard) breeder I would say it's more work than it's worth.

K.I.S.S. Reminder to Self

 

[gjensen]

I am always interested in seeing possible improvements concerning incubation/hatching. I always pay attention.

Right now, I will stick with the easy way.

 

[Arielle]

I am always interested in seeing possible improvements concerning incubation/hatching. I always pay attention.

Right now, I will stick with the easy way.

THe easiest way is a broodie hen--- just wish they were more available in January!! THe next easy way is keep it simple. ANd pray. ( Am I allowed to say that?

)

 

[gjensen]

THe easiest way is a broodie hen--- just wish they were more available in January!! THe next easy way is keep it simple. ANd pray. ( Am I allowed to say that?

)

I always wanted to try broody hens, but somehow, never ended up with persistent hens. Well I lucked out last year, and enjoyed the experience. Goodness that is a management challenge though. They do it when and how they want to. And it takes some coordinating to manage it on any scale.

I am not beyond it and like the idea of it. Just lose some control, and it would require of me several more individual pens. It certainly has it's pros and cons.

I like to see a mother with her chicks though.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: WHen I was having low hatch rates last year with my dark marans eggs, I opted to put the eggs under the marans broodies. A hen in each pen was hogging the nesting box, and decided to go with it. THe other hens would squeeze in and add an extra egg, and I would move the eggs from a third pen with no broody and deposit it with one of the broodies. I fortunately wrote the date on the coop wall --and started listening for the tell tail cheap. I let those broodies sit those eggs for 2 months. THe chicks were collected at hatch and moved to a brooder. Much better hatch rate!!

( THe girls were treated like queens-- food and water 1 foot away at all times, rooster to check on her and friends in to visit!)

 

[hellbender]

WHen I was having low hatch rates last year with my dark marans eggs, I opted to put the eggs under the marans broodies. A hen in each pen was hogging the nesting box, and decided to go with it. THe other hens would squeeze in and add an extra egg, and I would move the eggs from a third pen with no broody and deposit it with one of the broodies. I fortunately wrote the date on the coop wall --and started listening for the tell tail cheap. I let those broodies sit those eggs for 2 months. THe chicks were collected at hatch and moved to a brooder. Much better hatch rate!!

( THe girls were treated like queens-- food and water 1 foot away at all times, rooster to check on her and friends in to visit!)

If someone wants broody hens..get some NNs. I have 20+ pullets trying to go broody now, in the coldest winter in recent memory. If allowed to do it, they are dogged.


We are planning to close the production segment of our operation over the next five years. At that time, using brood hens for our SOP birds just might be feasible. I hate messing with bators.

 

[Arielle]

I think I need to knit 20+ scarves for them !!

 

[Vamvakas]

I have a Australorp rooster that I love, he's not aggressive, doesn't over mate but when he dose mate since he's huge/heavy weight he's cutting off girls back feathers with his feet and he's not making the girls bald backs but cutting the feathers in half he keeps putting his feet on there back and not there wings when mating, FFS.. It's like he's giving the girls a haircut on there backs. Any help? Or get a new rooster? He's makes a good breeding cock but can't show half the girls since he gave them a haircut on there back with his T-Rex legs.