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

[TeaChick]

my dog killed all but one duck that had just hatched so it wasn't in the brooder

 

[BCMaraniac]

my dog killed all but one duck that had just hatched so it wasn't in the brooder

Oh, NO!!! I am so sorry.

 

[Lacy Blues]

My bantam cochin frizzle just started laying a couple of months ago. I collected her first 15-ish eggs. I opened the first one she laid, and it had a bullseye on the yolk (fertile and fertilized). So, I set the next six she had laid. The first four she laid after the one I ate (no sense in wasting a good egg, no matter how small), they had not developed when I candled at day 7 of incubation. The next two laid had started developing. I candled Wed for day 14, they were fuller and the shadow in them moved like the white was still liquid, but there was no independent movement as if the chick moved or was alive. If you want, I'll update you when I candle on day 18 (Sun), and then they're supposed to hatch next Wed. Just LMK.
Anyway, these are her pullet eggs and I have had almost nothing but failure in hatching, so IDK what will happen with these two; and I won't be setting anymore eggs until May or June, when a friend of mine is going to show me how to do it. She has great success and I'm trying to do what she's been telling me to do, but I'm missing something. I'm so blessed to have a friend like her.
I hope your experiment is working out; I'm working on finding where you've set the next nest here.

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.

my dog killed all but one duck that had just hatched so it wasn't in the brooder

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

 

[TeaChick]

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!

Yeah, I was just checking whether they were fertilized or not.
I haven't had much success with hatching, to the tune of 1 chick from 42 eggs set in three batches of varying numbers.
I'm currently letting her collect a clutch b/c she's gotten irritated with me for collecting them from her nesting bucket. We'll see what she does with them.

 

[Beekissed]

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.

 

[fisherlady]

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.

Glad you and the eggs are all back safe and sound!

 

[AmericanMom]

my dog killed all but one duck that had just hatched so it wasn't in the brooder

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..

 

[enola]

Bee, you are back. So much went on while you were gone!

Someone mentioned that they thought maybe pasty butt was caused by the chick getting chilled. I am thinking that hypothesis may be true.

That chick that I warmed up by putting her in a plastic bag lowered in warm water now has extreme pasty butt. I cleaned it for the third time today. I usually only have a pasty butt or two a year...........

 

[TexasLisa]

my dog killed all but one duck that had just hatched so it wasn't in the brooder

I am so sorry.

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

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

Lisa

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, you are back. So much went on while you were gone!

Someone mentioned that they thought maybe pasty butt was caused by the chick getting chilled. I am thinking that hypothesis may be true.

That chick that I warmed up by putting her in a plastic bag lowered in warm water now has extreme pasty butt. I cleaned it for the third time today. I usually only have a pasty butt or two a year...........

I've noticed it happens if they get too hot or too chilled in the brooder, so I attribute it to uneven brooder temps. Goldilocks had it right...everything has to be "just right".