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

[Beekissed]

I'm hoping some of the trends toward 'heritage' birds may help revive some interest in broodies... I know there are a lot of beautifully feathered birds out there now, and many 'awesome' egg layers and cool egg colors.... but I put more value on a good old fashioned 'plow horse' any day over a show pony. Thankfully it seems there are a few folks still interested in keeping the utility intact!

So even if this trend toward 'heritage' doesn't last, and broodies fall out of favor again, at least I will know that in our back yard there will be a bunch of birds able to reproduce without the aid of electricity or other human assistance!

Same here. Looks are good as long as functionality follows form and I do mean excellent lay, good feathering, hardiness, broodiness in season, great survival instincts out on range and feed thrift. I want it all.

I'm just reporting back that all my eggs have hatched!! I can't quite believe it!

In case anyone doesn't know:

I started out with 10 eggs and improvised an incubator by sellotaping a light bulb into an old cupboard i wasn't using. I also had a digital thermometer, but no hydrometer so I've no clue what the humidity was but it was probably quite low because it was a large space inside and just one small dish of water. 3 of my eggs i took out early on - 1 was infertile and 2 were early quitters - the rest all made it to lock down. At lock down i filled the cupboard with water containers to up the humidity and my eggs started hatching one after the other first thing in the morning on day 22. The last egg to hatch hadn't pipped and was chirping loudly inside the egg and i ended up making a peep hole at 1am and leaving it over night. By the morning, still nothing, so i made a zip with tweezers and took the top off and left it back in the incubator. 12 hours later it was out by itself and i now have 7 baby chicks! I can't believe they all hatched, I'm amazed, especially after reading how so many chicks don't make it even in fancy hi tech incubators!

Here's some pics of my story



This is my improvised incubator. It's seriously that simple. Cupboard, light bulb, thermometer, tray of water and some towels draped over for extra insulation.





My eggs started pipping 5am day 22





First chick hatched by 6:30am





By 5pm day 22 i had 6 healthy chicks





The last egg which was tweeting but failed to pip. I made a peep hole at 1am day 23 and then opened the shell at 6am after it had failed to progress.





By 5pm day 23 it was out!


Now I'm just waiting till it's properly dried and fluffed up before it stick it in with the others. I think that's pretty good for a first attempt! My husband and his dad never thought they'd make it. I am so chuffed

That's most excellent!!! WAY better than my hatches went! You should do a thread on it and post step by step for folks because most will just not believe it. Congratulations!!!

 

[Demidog]

Thank you! Maybe i will

 

[Demidog]

It does sound like work. I would surely kill my eggies. I am the worst. I'd need a set and forget it incubator.. a.k.a. a broody?

lol, well hopefully all my future eggs will be from a broody and i don't have to bother with this again. My husband is not impressed with the amount of electricity it uses, and now with the red heat lamp too - that thing is hot!

 

[Tomtommom]

lol, well hopefully all my future eggs will be from a broody and i don't have to bother with this again. My husband is not impressed with the amount of electricity it uses, and now with the red heat lamp too - that thing is hot!

Yeah.. that part I wouldn't like either. I got a heat plate this year, which was a lot thriftier in energy usage.

 

[Beekissed]

Dragged the broody off the nest once today and saw a black chick and a pip but didn't get to examine the eggs as she was frantic. Will check in the morning to see what she has under her. The black chick was just an extra egg in there for funzies, but am really wanting and hoping the WR eggs survived and I'll get my first WR chicks from this heritage set of birds.

 

[fisherlady]

Dragged the broody off the nest once today and saw a black chick and a pip but didn't get to examine the eggs as she was frantic.  Will check in the morning to see what she has under her.  The black chick was just an extra egg in there for funzies, but am really wanting and hoping the WR eggs survived and I'll get my first WR chicks from this heritage set of birds. 

Glad the broody will have at least one chick to keep her happy! Hopefully a few WRs will join the party...
We ended up with 6, almost all identical black and yellow fuzzy butts.
We went to fish Lake Erie today, hoping they did good... headed home now.

 

[Cowpoke]

Wishing you a Great Hatch!

 

[Beekissed]

Cowpoke, I did something a tad stupid....I think I collected the eggs of the wrong bird. I thought I "knew" the WR hen's eggs and the appearance of them, but actually was collecting one of the BA's eggs instead. All the chicks I've visualized, either hatched or removed from the nest in "dead" eggs, were black chicks. There's a possibility I have a white chick in one of the ones currently pipping but that egg is taking too long, so I doubt it makes it.

Let's mark that one up to human error and call it a day on hatching right now. I'm a bit burnt out on it all this year.

 

[Beekissed]

Another chick out of the shell....black.

That makes 4 and one more to go, still trying to get out of the shell. Finest set of mutt BA and heritage WRs one can imagine......

I'm an idiot. Pure and simple.

 

[Cowpoke]

Hello Bee,

We all make our fair share of mistakes. So don't beat yourself up too bad. And on the brighter side, sounds like you are having a pretty fair hatching!.......even if they are mutts.....some success, on Experiment # 5! Happy to be here learning from You! Have A Great Day!!!!