About a week ago, I for some reason wanted to try and incubate some chicken eggs. But I wanted to do it in an unconventional way (well, i didn't want to, i had to because i couldn't buy an incubator) So I got an old heating pad (one that never shuts off) and a Styrofoam cooler. I placed the heating pad at the bottom and stacked towels until I got a temp between 100-105. To get this temp I also had to crack the lid open. It was fairly stable, and I know 105 is very hot BUT the internal temp of the eggs stayed at around 99 degrees.A lot of this was inspired by the Simulated Natural Nest Incubation
Then I went to a farmers market and picked up a dozen refrigerated eggs. I broke two of them to test for fertility and it seemed like they were.
So, I placed the rest into an incubator. They're all different colors, blue, dark brown, greenish, speckled.
I candled them and the air pockets were all in the right place. I turned them by hand whenever I remembered to, about 5 times a day.
Day 2: a temperature spike. I had left the styrofoam cover on all night by mistake and the eggs were wayy too warm. I lost hope but I continued.
Day 3: The day I'm on now. Today I broke open one of the eggs. It was developing!!!! Blood vessels were forming. I feel guilty but extremely exited at the same time!!!
My awful incubator is working. Somehow, this is working.
Now I'm writing this thread so others can follow this experiment. I really hope these eggies hatch
I'm going to candle on day 6 and show you guys what I see.
Hatch date: 26 August.
Then I went to a farmers market and picked up a dozen refrigerated eggs. I broke two of them to test for fertility and it seemed like they were.
So, I placed the rest into an incubator. They're all different colors, blue, dark brown, greenish, speckled.
I candled them and the air pockets were all in the right place. I turned them by hand whenever I remembered to, about 5 times a day.
Day 2: a temperature spike. I had left the styrofoam cover on all night by mistake and the eggs were wayy too warm. I lost hope but I continued.
Day 3: The day I'm on now. Today I broke open one of the eggs. It was developing!!!! Blood vessels were forming. I feel guilty but extremely exited at the same time!!!
My awful incubator is working. Somehow, this is working.
Now I'm writing this thread so others can follow this experiment. I really hope these eggies hatch
Hatch date: 26 August.
Last edited:
