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

[Beekissed]

Gotta give Spangled a big shout out for getting these creaky, rusty wheels aturnin'!

Thank you, Spangled, and all who contribute here to help me with this experiment...this has been really fun!

 

[Spangled]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Beekissed
Gotta give Spangled a big shout out for getting these creaky, rusty wheels aturnin'!
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Ha. Well, it was another poster that got my rusty wheels a turnin'. So, it's a group effort for sure, with you leading the way since you're the one, as I mentioned before, that was thinking outside the box in first place and came up with this experiment.


I hesitate to accept any credit, though, since I was only asking you questions as I was trying to figure it all out.


Plus, is 107F-110F the actual temp of a broody hen? And is that her skin temp? Or is that her cloacal temp? This is pretty confusing to me. The temperature 104F keeps rattling around in my head also.


And what is the internal temp of the egg supposed to be during incubation??? We know what that the temperature *around* an egg in a fanned incubator is right around 100F (and different in a non-fanned incubator), but what is the internal temp of the eggs supposed to be? Wouldn't that temp be the same for all forms of hatching regardless of whether the egg was nestled up under a wing, right against the broody patch, or in an Octagon Eco Whatever?


The FAO says, 38C (100.4F), but I don't think it states internal temp for the egg.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/y5169e/y5169e06.htm


Surely someone at this site knows what the internal temp of the egg is supposed to be.


Also confusing: If you have eggs obviously developing in your first experiment, but a few days behind (I think that's what you wrote), then your temps are pretty close and I'd hate to see things goofed up by some question I posed that was based on nothing more than curiosity.

"Some Aspects of Natural Incubation" by L. E. Keyser is free online and has some interesting insights from an old timer who used broodies for hatching back in 1912. (102 yrs ago!) Keyser says that the temp (internal) is always between 106F and 107F. So, if chickens are like us at all, our internal temp is higher than our mouth temp which is higher than our underarm temp which is higher than our skin temp, which is variable. So, implications? I dunno. 1912 is a long time ago and some stuff will offer age-old truths, but some stuff may be way off base. My brain is all pooped out.

And I didn't read all of this article. Too sleepy.

Look forward to see your results. Also hoping someone will try hatching eggs in rice hulls at some point.

I won't be me!

 

[theawesomechick]

Made ya look!

You had me there for a moment. That is one funky-lookin' early hatcher!

 

[Beekissed]

One has to retain her sense of humor in the face of adversity....

It lights up and flashes if you touch it! And it's squishy! I love these little troll chicks!

 

[theawesomechick]

One has to retain her sense of humor in the face of adversity....

It lights up and flashes if you touch it! And it's squishy! I love these little troll chicks!

Hey, you could be breeding a new strain of ornamental light-up disease-resistant type of chicken that never dies! You would be the coolest chick on the block!

 

[Beekissed]

Hey, you could be breeding a new strain of ornamental light-up disease-resistant type of chicken that never dies! You would be the coolest chick on the block!

And quiet...and feed thrifty and non pooping. I think there is a definite market for them, particularly in HOA areas.

 

[theawesomechick]

And they have the most unique feathers sticking out of their heads, a trait once thought to be unique to Polish chickens. They're a real hit with kids all over the nation!

 

[Beekissed]

Yes...sort of a crest.

Well...aired out and candled a few of these eggs and found a few changes in some. Definitely found a "bean" in one that wasn't there before. Can't trash this nest just yet...will wait awhile and clean out quitters later on. Everyone smells fine for now....

Tomorrow....Experiment #2 proceeds with deeper soil under the nest, with a water sleeve over the thermometer, with a digital meat thermometer instead of a standard. Fortunately this is not a strain on my space or resources.

 

[kimmers]

I was wondering the same thing as Spangled. I haven't incubated eggs but the thermometers are not inside the eggs, right? If BeeKissed meat thermometer is right by the eggs, how is that different from the incubators thermometer readings.

 

[Beekissed]

I was wondering the same thing as Spamgled. I haven't incubated eggs but the thermometers are not inside the eggs, right? If BeeKissed meat thermometer is right by the eggs, how is that different from the incubators thermometer readings.

The temps inside of a water filled orb are different than the ambient temps beside of them...and I soon found that out! Some folks are putting their incubator thermometers inside of water wigglers to get a more accurate reading of internal egg temps so as to regulate them better. I found out that when I put the thermometer into a liquid casing, it measured many degrees below the surface egg temps but when I got surface egg temps up to 107.0, my internal temps were sitting almost exactly on 100.5...which is perfect from what I can tell.

Spangled was right on the money.