Simulated Natural Nest Incubation~Experiment #1 So it begins....

[TeaChick]

Well...back from traveling for the a couple of days. Took the nest with me and it fared well. I used an old fashioned hot water bottle to keep them warm enough, and wouldn't you know it? That thermometer stayed on 100* solid all the way there and all the way back(4 hours up and back)!! I was shocked and I can only attribute that to the hand of God because there is no way I could ever have calculated the water temps and the padding in between to yield that exact temperature. Praise the Lord for helping me transport these chicks!

I was so amazed by that steadiness of temps that I feared the thermometer was malfunctioning, so I took it out and tested it under running water and it was extremely sensitive to the temp changes and monitored them all, so it's working.
And it was a good thing I took them along, as the electric went out while were were gone!

I ALMOST had left them at home, prayed about it, then decided it was best to take them and so it was. They rode well and secure, I candled when I got there to see if all activity was as it was before and it was....dancing eyeballs in there! I saw a few more eggs that may not be developing that I missed but will not be pulling them until I candle officially on the 14.

Now...how many folks can pack their incubator in the back of the car and take their eggs along on trips?

This method is starting to show other bonuses......

These chicks will be well traveled before they ever leave the shell.

Congratulations on your traveling farm. lol
Glad they all made it alright!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Removed the egg with the blood ring tonight. Noticed it had stopped developing, cracked it open and there was just a very early stages chick in there...no form or body just white gel with some blood. Down to 25 eggs now.

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

  I am so sorry.

***************

e WELCOME BACK BEE!  You were missed. Glad the eggs survived!

Lisa

Dog would be horse meat..

Sorry, I got rid of a dog that we couldn't keep out of the chicken run...finally after the third hen was killed I said enough...Found him a nice home with a young couple and no other small animals..

Try waiting til your pullet is older and her eggs are more like they're supposed to be.  Give her a chance to grow up a little.  Hatching the first pullet eggs is like a 12 year old girl giving birth.  It's been done but its better not to.

Dead dog... or at least banned to the yard!

Oh, NO!!!  I am so sorry.

Thank you all. The dog will be finding a new home and the remaining such is cuddling with the dh. In just glass I have 2 ducks and house due to hatch Thursday or so

 

[aussie pete]

final numbers on my hatch - 24 eggs set -
19 out -

2 clears removed day 14-

2 no internal pip -

1 external pip didn't hatch

79 % - ok for first try in this incubator & autumn here


glad to see yr globe traveling eggs r going ok Bee

cheers Pete

 

[Beekissed]

final numbers on my hatch - 24 eggs set -
19 out -

2 clears removed day 14-

2 no internal pip -

1 external pip didn't hatch

79 % - ok for first try in this incubator & autumn here


glad to see yr globe traveling eggs r going ok Bee

cheers Pete

Pete, is that an average percentage for your hatches? That's pretty good, isn't it? That external pip...were you tempted to help it out? Or do you let nature take its course on that? I'm inclined to let nature take its course...if they are too weak to get out, it could be they wouldn't thrive anyway....but it's still tempting to help, isn't it?

 

[LindaB220]

final numbers on my hatch - 24 eggs set -
19 out -

2 clears removed day 14-

2 no internal pip -

1 external pip didn't hatch

79 % - ok for first try in this incubator & autumn here


glad to see yr globe traveling eggs r going ok Bee

cheers Pete

Thrilled for you Pete!!! Good going.

 

[AmericanMom]

Removed the egg with the blood ring tonight. Noticed it had stopped developing, cracked it open and there was just a very early stages chick in there...no form or body just white gel with some blood. Down to 25 eggs now.

Welcome back!! Glad to hear the trip went well!! Wow on the power outage.. Kinda neat when that feeling comes over us and we just know it should be a certain way and then we find out later the reason...Very Cool!!!' Not to much happening in chickville..Momma still sitting, was able to candle while she took a break, one of the eggs has a nice dip in the air cell, If it hasn't hatched out by tomorrow I might get worried it may have died.. The late ones I sat look good, The shells are nice and dark, air cell hasn't dipped yet, thinking a day or so behnd...
Got 10 bunny rabbits born yesterday.... Hope they all survive!! Incubator is going strong...signs of life can be seen now so I'm happy
Got the oldest Grandson tonight for some Poppy and Nanny time... I so look forward to every second!!

 

[aussie pete]

Bee ,i was pleased with the result ,considering time of yr ,5yr old roo,& new incubator i hadn't used before.


, my old incubator was having some problems & its performance was dropping with each hatch ( last hatch in it was 3 from 42).

I had lent some money to a single mum with 4 kids , to fix her car ,(about 5 yrs ago ),she sent me some money,(partial repayment) out of the blue ,so i invested in this new incubator.

when i was a young fellow , working on a sheep stud,i came across a orphan lamb, i picked it up & bought back to the boss.
I thought i was doing the rite thing ,as I'd had a aunty, who had poddy lambs, when i was a boy
the boss went rite off ,said i should have left it in paddock.
his reasoning was to have it as a poddy (hand fed) ,raise it , then u were diluting the flocks vigour,producing a higher percentage of inferior animals in the flock after each generation

that has stuck in my head ever since, so it depends on yr prospective . as my goal is to breed good birds & try to either maintain or improve my line i don't help.

I let nature take its course, but i know a lot of ppl do help .
19 is plenty to grow out over winter ,if i really was concerned with numbers, i would just start a new lot today& they would be out in 3 wks

cheers Pete

 

[enola]

I am inclined to agree with you, Bee, chicks that cannot hatch themselves tend not to be healthy enough. I have in the past helped two out of the shell, both of them died later.

I am very interested in following how your new dog project works out. I have plans for a large guard dog in my future. Are you planning on having him neutered?

 

[theawesomechick]

Quote: This is no longer relevant, but silkie meat is DELICIOUS in soup! Very expensive, and there's not much of it, but it's delicious.