The Front Porch Swing

[Beekissed]

Perdy cool Bee! If that temp stays fairly constant you will have chicks! Okay, let's all bet on how many will hatch...

TW says 12!

I'm saying 14!!!

Bee, you are a wonder! That's all I can say.

I hope your experiment works. I will definitely be following this. In the meantime, I will start my eggs tomorrow in my incubator. I'm not quite as brave as you are. However, if it works for you, I might try it on some yard bird eggs and see how it goes for ME.

That's why I wanted to try this on these mixed breed mutt eggs...I'll be getting quality eggs in March and had to try and see if this method will be a success before then. If it is not, I'll buy or construct a simple foam cooler incubator and try for more success. I've got a strong faith in this, though....I'm thinking it could really work. If it does, it may just revolutionize backyard incubating into a more natural, seat of your pants style. At least...that's what I'm hoping.

You know how I hate fussy routines.....

I'm watching carefully - then maybe I can do the same!!!

Yes...wait until we see how it comes out. Could be a total bomb.

I'm praying for it, though, and prayer is a powerful thing to an almighty God.

One question I forgot to ask... Bee, how did you sterilize those feathers?

I plucked them dry, bagged them in a pillow case and washed them in the washing machine in hot water, soap and bleach...lots of bleach. Dried them on high heat for a long time and they came out beautiful! Cleanest them roosters have been since being born, I'll bet ya!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thanks Bee. I had one more question I added to that first one. It was regarding temperature setting on that heating pad. I have one just like it and wonder what setting you used. Also, I reminded you to be sure the auto shut off button was off so it doesn't turn off in two hours.

Are you going to uncover those eggs every day and turn them? A broody turns her eggs.

 

[LOVEIGEE]

Wow BF.....I'm impressed! I can't see why it wouldn't work......like you said, if they were under a broody, same scenario! My favorite number is 7.......so I'll go a long with you on 14......double the fun!

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks Bee. I had one more question I added to that first one. It was regarding temperature setting on that heating pad. I have one just like it and wonder what setting you used. Also, I reminded you to be sure the auto shut off button was off so it doesn't turn off in two hours.

Are you going to uncover those eggs every day and turn them? A broody turns her eggs.

Yep...included that in the steps. Turning daily and rotating into the interior of the nest now and again. Yes, I've got it on the regular setting...no automatic shut off.

I'm currently bringing the eggs up to nest temps as they were chilled...much like they would have been if left in the nest as the eggs accumulated for a clutch. I started on the first setting and left it there for fifteen minutes and have increased the temp settings every 15 min. since then to bring the eggs up slowly to a normal temp. I'm on the highest setting right now and the interior of the nest is sitting on 85*. In 15 min. I'll turn the eggs to warm the bottom side and monitor the temps until they start to climb towards the desired temp and then I'll start to slowly lower the temp setting on the pad until we meet in the middle~around 99.5+/-.

It's all a guessing game when heating a cold nest made of dense,moist materials as opposed to heating an insulated box of air. In that situation you are only heating air and eggs, in this situation one is heating soil, grass, leaves and eggs....but I think, in the long run, the more dense materials will hold the heat and humidity more steadily and with less variances.

 

[Beekissed]

Wow BF.....I'm impressed! I can't see why it wouldn't work......like you said, if they were under a broody, same scenario! My favorite number is 7.......so I'll go a long with you on 14......double the fun!

Figured I'd use this fake chickie mama to brood the chicks too, much like the heat plate you have. I'll be placing the heating pad inside a pocket of the insulated pad and then placing a wire frame inside the pocket as well, bending the edges to form legs, keeping it 2 in. off the floor of the brooder so the chicks can crouch under the Little Red Hen much like they would under a real mama.

 

[LOVEIGEE]

Can't wait to hear the progress! 21 days, right?

 

[Triple Willow]

What do you wager?

Hmmm... I don't know. Us Christchuns aren't supposed to gamble but I know God doesn't mind a little fun. lol How could we go about this? We could mail the winner a bag of candy of their choice... or something. LOL

...if Bee's power goes off she has to mail ALL OF US a bag of candy! hahahaha Hope she doesn't make balut! LOL

 

[Beekissed]

Hmmm... I don't know. Us Christchuns aren't supposed to gamble but I know God doesn't mind a little fun. lol How could we go about this? We could mail the winner a bag of candy of their choice... or something. LOL

...if Bee's power goes off she has to mail ALL OF US a bag of candy! hahahaha Hope she doesn't make balut! LOL

Not so, TripleWillow-son, I have hot water bottle for just such emergency! O-ho, you thought to catch Bee off guard, no?

 

[Triple Willow]

Me too!!! Guardian dogs would be great!


DH's uncle actually lost a horse and a mule to the cougars out here in Alberta. He built a 16' fence to keep the cougars away from the miniature donkeys - but ended up selling the last 2 after the baby got taken by the cougar anyway (jumped/scaled the fence). Cougars are tough when they've set their minds to it! 

That's plumb dang scary! lol Beautiful animals but so dangerous! I have always said that if you could train a cat to attack they would be a better "guard dog" than any dog ever thought about being. To think of a 150-200lb cat attacking, more than scary!!! But such pretty kitties...

 

[Beekissed]

Can't wait to hear the progress! 21 days, right?

Yep...just 21 days, give or take. The fun thing about this is I don't have to fuss with much...it's in my bedroom and I can keep a watch on it easily enough and can have a bit of fun being a "broody". Did you notice the beak and eyes on my Little Red Hen? Isn't she a cute big ol' blob of a broody?

I like a lazy incubation...just my style.

Then I can carry the youngin's up to the coop in the same box and sit it right down into the brooder space and plug in the fake broody mama right there and don't have to skip a beat. Life is good!