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

[LindaB220]

Oh, my goodness!!! You have broodie heaven at your place!!

How wonderful to see all those mamas and chicks of all different ages and sizes living peaceably together. And that pic of Gracie with the two chicks in the nest is just about precious...and I don't even like a silkie bird...that needs to be in a magazine or entered into the photo contest here on BYC.

Maybe next breeding season I'll buy some of those Penciled Silver Rock eggs from you (if you are selling) to hatch here...they seem like wonderful birds. And they are Rocks, so that makes them tops in my book.

If I can't get my hands on any White Rocks from the place I would like to, maybe you could sell me some eggs this fall? I'd sure like to have a handful of those birds of yours on hand for eggs and for brooding chicks.

Thank you for the wonderful pictures....simply lovely! I wish more folks would do broody hatches and see what it's like to have chicks raised as nature intended.

One step at a time. Yes, I will. First I'm making the heating pad brooder for my new babies coming next month.

 

[fisherlady]

Oh, my goodness!!! You have broodie heaven at your place!!

How wonderful to see all those mamas and chicks of all different ages and sizes living peaceably together. And that pic of Gracie with the two chicks in the nest is just about precious...and I don't even like a silkie bird...that needs to be in a magazine or entered into the photo contest here on BYC.

Maybe next breeding season I'll buy some of those Penciled Silver Rock eggs from you (if you are selling) to hatch here...they seem like wonderful birds. And they are Rocks, so that makes them tops in my book.

If I can't get my hands on any White Rocks from the place I would like to, maybe you could sell me some eggs this fall? I'd sure like to have a handful of those birds of yours on hand for eggs and for brooding chicks.

Thank you for the wonderful pictures....simply lovely! I wish more folks would do broody hatches and see what it's like to have chicks raised as nature intended.

Thanks!
I am hoping for a SPR roo out of the hatches... as soon as I have a breeding pen you will be top of the list for eggs!

 

[Beekissed]

Day 11. Twenty eggs in the nest box, temps holding steady at 100* on the #2 setting. Still turning three times a day. Have added no water to the nest since immediately prior to setting up the clutch. Airing out the nest every other day for 10-20 min. each time. When I fiddle, turn or candle they get another airing out, so plenty of fresh air to the eggs.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Does anyone here have the link for the university that shows necropsy photos? I need abnormal stuff too... just had the weirdest experience in butchering a bird and I need to know if it is ok to cook and feed back to the other birds.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Day 11. Twenty eggs in the nest box, temps holding steady at 100* on the #2 setting. Still turning three times a day. Have added no water to the nest since immediately prior to setting up the clutch. Airing out the nest every other day for 10-20 min. each time. When I fiddle, turn or candle they get another airing out, so plenty of fresh air to the eggs.

sounds great! hoping you have a GOOD hatch this time!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Does anyone here have the link for the university that shows necropsy photos? I need abnormal stuff too... just had the weirdest experience in butchering a bird and I need to know if it is ok to cook and feed back to the other birds.

The only one I have is this and it doesn't show the abnormal things...but I would sure love to see what you've got. No one on this thread is going to care....

http://borlaug.tamu.edu/files/2012/03/Poultry-necropsy-Manual.pdf

 

[Beekissed]

sounds great! hoping you have a GOOD hatch this time!!!

Me too! I'm almost obsessively checking the eggs each night to see if there is still movement going on in there and thanking God when I see movement, veins, etc. I so really want this experiment to be a success.

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

Me too!  I'm almost obsessively checking the eggs each night to see if there is still movement going on in there and thanking God when I see movement, veins, etc.  I so really want this experiment to be a success. 

You will have a GREAT hatch this time Bee. And you sound like me I check my eggs at least once a day

 

[Lacy Blues]

The only one I have is this and it doesn't show the abnormal things...but I would sure love to see what you've got. No one on this thread is going to care....

http://borlaug.tamu.edu/files/2012/03/Poultry-necropsy-Manual.pdf

I'll post pics tomorrow. I'm tired tonight and ready for bed. Suffice it to say the heart was small, egg system was totally messed up (only a 3 year old hen) intestines were hard from the gizzard to the vent. I mean HARD. The intestinal walls were very thick and hard and the intestines seemed to be filled (what little room was left) with cecal poop. Ugh! Oh, and the exterior walls of the intestines had little lesion looking spots everywhere! Not nice. Oh, too, when I first opened her abdominal cavity, I could see liquid inside so I turned her over to pour it out and it just kept pouring and kept pouring. If I had to guess, I'd say there was at least 3 cups of liquid that came out.

I have no idea what would cause that. No idea at all!

 

[Beekissed]

I'll post pics tomorrow. I'm tired tonight and ready for bed. Suffice it to say the heart was small, egg system was totally messed up (only a 3 year old hen) intestines were hard from the gizzard to the vent. I mean HARD. The intestinal walls were very thick and hard and the intestines seemed to be filled (what little room was left) with cecal poop. Ugh! Oh, and the exterior walls of the intestines had little lesion looking spots everywhere! Not nice. Oh, too, when I first opened her abdominal cavity, I could see liquid inside so I turned her over to pour it out and it just kept pouring and kept pouring. If I had to guess, I'd say there was at least 3 cups of liquid that came out.

I have no idea what would cause that. No idea at all!

WOW. I have no idea either but it seems like whatever it was it was systemic...some disease process?