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

[Beekissed]

Here's some interesting tidbits about broody hens:

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00262875?no-access=true

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1560117

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00261663

 

[Beekissed]

I figured out what was missing from my experiment.....a weight. A broody weighs something and my insulating pad was too light. I looked all around for something that would add some weight to the pad, thereby pressing the heat source down onto the eggs and finally found the perfect thing!

My dad's big ol' soft cover, flexible and worn out Bible.

It immediately caused more heat transfer to the eggs when I laid that big ol' book lightly on the fake chickie mama, so I turned the setting down one and will monitor things further.

 

[Beekissed]

It suits my style to be able to incubate eggs with a heating pad, meat thermometer, a cardboard box, a trash bag, dirt, grass, water, feathers from processing free roosters, scraps of cloth and a Bible.

It will remain to be seen if this is successful....but wouldn't it be a hoot if it was?

You won't believe this but that temp is holding steady at a perfect 99.5 degrees!!!! The nest is doing the trick! That added weight was the last component it needed and I now have it on the 5th setting on the pad, though the night temps are falling and the windowsill temps have fallen by 8 degrees in the past half hour but those temps inside the nest are holding steady.

 

[Beekissed]

Though the ambient temps in that room are decreasing steadily, the nest temp rose to 100.5...I turned down the setting to the next notch down. This tells me the nest temps are finally regulating and I can start meeting them in the middle with my thermostat controls on the heating pad. Will keep updating for when it levels off for good.

 

[ChirpChickens]

good luck!

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you! I just checked the temp and it's at 100 even. I slid my hand into the nest and the eggs feel warm, the humidity feels great and it feels pretty much like it feels under one of my broodies. That the nest is staying warm even though the temps in the window are dropping is reassuring.

 

[ChirpChickens]

i'm hatching some for the first time but in a homemade incubator. tell me how this goes!

 

[Beekissed]

i'm hatching some for the first time but in a homemade incubator. tell me how this goes!

We are both stepping out on faith, aren't we?

Both newbies and both with DIY incubators...this should be a great adventure!

 

[MEMama3]

This is so exciting and I'll be following your journey. One comment/observation: the hen puts very little weight on the eggs. She squats with them positioned between her legs. Maybe add the weight to two sides and it will pull the middle down a bit? Hope it all works out!

 

[Beekissed]

Ambient temps on the windowsill are 52*, the heating pad is on #4 setting and the internal nest temp is at 100* even. I think that it may even out right there and I guess that's a good place? I know 99.5* is ideal but I don't think .5* will matter too much, will it?

How about it, all you experienced hatchers? Is it okay to keep it at 100* throughout the hatch if I can? Are there any days in the 21 when that should change up or downward? I hadn't read anything about that but then I could have missed something.