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

[fisherlady]

So today I go out and find a white bird legs up. I think well I didn't even have time to cull him. Then I see "him" limping over. The dead bird was one of my white rock pullets. Throat torn out. So!!! My Fort Knox is not as secure as I'd hoped. I'd noticed that the door hinge was extra wide so I measured 2". Plenty of room for several things to get in. I wonder why it didn't kill more. Feathers were around so whatever it was came in and only killed one. I'll make arrangements to have a wooden door made and installed.

Dang... so sorry you lost one.

Tis the season though, I believe with many of the predators now trying to raise their own young they are bolder about trying to find prey to take back for the youngsters. A lone fox or mink may be OK about a mouse or chipmunk here and there, but to feed a litter of kits it needs more, so will try to get into places they may normally pass up.

Check your rooster's spurs for blood, or even blood on a dominant hen... the predator may have grabbed a pullet (thinking it had an easy mark) and been attacked by other flock members... which may have been able to drive it away, but it was too late for the little pullet.

 

[Tomtommom]

So far so good in the flock. No signs of any others being sick. *knock on wood*

 

[Beekissed]

So far so good in the flock. No signs of any others being sick. *knock on wood*

I'm so glad! It is a nerve wracking thing when a bird dies and you don't know why....leaves you wondering if anymore will be afflicted.

 

[Beekissed]

I have my control on #1 and my temps were just barely over 100 and this is on a cool day, so with the warm temps coming along and no way to turn down the heating pad anymore, I fashioned a spacer out of fencing...just bent it on the ends so it has "feet" and holds the pad just slightly off the eggs and it also allows airflow under there. I was so very pleased to see that it brought temps down to just under 100...looks to be 99-99.5* and this makes me relieved and thrilled that this method can be tweaked so easily and effectively.

Will be watching for when temps get higher, as we have no AC here, and will just bend the feet to make it a little higher if the temps increase past my comfort zone. Have I said lately how much I love this method of incubation?

The broody and her whole box~a large pet carrier~was moved from the coop and into the new broody pen...it's approx. 5 x 8 ft...with plenty of light, air and room to run for chicks. She can still see the flock as they come for water and range, but they can't bother her. Poor thing..every time she got off the nest to go eat or take a poop, the rooster would chase her all over creation, so now he can't bother her and she can eat, drink and poo without a raging hormone chasing her down.

The junior crowd are sure going to miss snuggling with her at night.

 

[fisherlady]

Glad things are settling in for you there.... fingers crossed that you get a few more of your WRs to add to the flock!

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

I have my control on #1 and my temps were just barely over 100 and this is on a cool day, so with the warm temps coming along and no way to turn down the heating pad anymore, I fashioned a spacer out of fencing...just bent it on the ends so it has "feet" and holds the pad just slightly off the eggs and it also allows airflow under there. I was so very pleased to see that it brought temps down to just under 100...looks to be 99-99.5* and this makes me relieved and thrilled that this method can be tweaked so easily and effectively.

Will be watching for when temps get higher, as we have no AC here, and will just bend the feet to make it a little higher if the temps increase past my comfort zone. Have I said lately how much I love this method of incubation?

The broody and her whole box~a large pet carrier~was moved from the coop and into the new broody pen...it's approx. 5 x 8 ft...with plenty of light, air and room to run for chicks. She can still see the flock as they come for water and range, but they can't bother her. Poor thing..every time she got off the nest to go eat or take a poop, the rooster would chase her all over creation, so now he can't bother her and she can eat, drink and poo without a raging hormone chasing her down.

The junior crowd are sure going to miss snuggling with her at night.

Sweet--sounds like thing are going A-OK!!! I like what you did for the broody--you are so clever! I had 2 large hatches last Friday and this Friday--Wynette's Jersey Giants and some Heritage turkeys and an order of chicks--Light Sussex from Waltz Ark--kinda feel overrun with chicks! Jeremey's White Rocks are due Friday, his Barred Rocks next Fri-- then a final hatch in 2.5 weeks of Ken Weavers White Rocks. I've been at it since Feb__--glad its almost over!

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Bending the fence to hold up heating pad, see clever clever. After awhile you learn lots of tricks, don't you!

 

[Beekissed]

Sweet--sounds like thing are going A-OK!!! I like what you did for the broody--you are so clever! I had 2 large hatches last Friday and this Friday--Wynette's Jersey Giants and some Heritage turkeys and an order of chicks--Light Sussex from Waltz Ark--kinda feel overrun with chicks! Jeremey's White Rocks are due Friday, his Barred Rocks next Fri-- then a final hatch in 2.5 weeks of Ken Weavers White Rocks. I've been at it since Feb__--glad its almost over!

Oh, my goodness!!! You are overrun with babies and more to come! But, oh, what babies!!! Quality and then some. You are going to have one of the best flocks around with all those infusions of good bloodlines....we must see pics when they all mature.

These WR eggs I am hatching under the broody and in the box are a cross of Jeremy's and Weaver's line of Rocks, so I'm pretty psyched to see how they turn out. Aren't we blessed that these gentlemen have been so generous in letting us get our hands on their good genetics?

 

[Demidog]

Hello Beekissed!

I'm new to incubating and to this page and I've just been reading through this thread. When are your eggs due to hatch? I have mine just now in a home made incubator which is a just an old cupboard with a glass door that i sellotaped a light inside. I'm covering it with blankets for extra insulation and trying to control the temp to stay between 38-39 C (sorry, I'm in Europe!) I've got a digital thermometer with the sensor sitting on top on the eggs and a small dish of water for humidity. The eggs are inside a shoe box nestled into a soft, warm blanket and positioned under the light. I have no idea if it's going to work, everyone else's set up is much more sophisticated that the way I've got it. So I'm eager to know if yours hatch, maybe mine will too!

 

[randerson846]

Ok so its day 21 and there is 8 eggs that haven't hatch, they were all moving on day 18 but they haven't hatched, although two ducks hatched and 11 chicks hatched before day 21 does this mean the 8 wont hatch? They were all in the same incubator