Throw Back Project.

[MysteryChicken]

Power is back on .

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Good, glad it was not off too long.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Good, glad it was not off too long.

3hrs, of darkness, & phone charge running out.

Good news is I'm not incubating eggs right now.
It was a branch that fell on the power lines. Heard a chainsaw.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Oh glad to hear you were not incubating… I was hoping you didn’t have any in. It’s a whole to do to keep eggs incubating with no power or chicks warm with no power.

One of the reasons I started reading really old books was the question… Hey how did they do this stuff pre-electric sans the mama? I’ve learned it can be done but oh boy, you need to prepare for it… I’ve thought about trying the old incubating practices but I would need to be home 24-7 for the whole time. So not anytime soon.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Oh glad to hear you were not incubating… I was hoping you didn’t have any in. It’s a whole to do to keep eggs incubating with no power or chicks warm with no power.

One of the reasons I started reading really old books was the question… Hey how did they do this stuff pre-electric sans the mama? I’ve learned it can be done but oh boy, you need to prepare for it… I’ve thought about trying the old incubating practices but I would need to be home 24-7 for the whole time. So not anytime soon.

My first power outage incubation was with my Malays. Power was out for the whole day.


That sounds interesting.

 

[troyer]

Oh glad to hear you were not incubating… I was hoping you didn’t have any in. It’s a whole to do to keep eggs incubating with no power or chicks warm with no power.

One of the reasons I started reading really old books was the question… Hey how did they do this stuff pre-electric sans the mama? I’ve learned it can be done but oh boy, you need to prepare for it… I’ve thought about trying the old incubating practices but I would need to be home 24-7 for the whole time. So not anytime soon.

25 years ago I had an Amish friend that tried using a kerosene incubator. It was a hit and miss experience at best. He gave it up after several months as he was only getting 40% hatch rates. He considered the 60% non hatchers a waste of good eggs and from then on bought chicks.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

25 years ago I had an Amish friend that tried using a kerosene incubator. It was a hit and miss experience at best. He gave it up after several months as he was only getting 40% hatch rates. He considered the 60% non hatchers a waste of good eggs and from then on bought chicks.

Yeah it looked to be definitely difficult, the real old books are pre kerosene even… I would expect low hatch rates. They basically kept them near a heat source… I can imagine the heat regulating nightmare that would be.

For babies I read a heating bottle technique pre heat lamps.

 

[troyer]

Yeah it looked to be definitely difficult, the real old books are pre kerosene even… I would expect low hatch rates. They basically kept them near a heat source… I can imagine the heat regulating nightmare that would be.

For babies I read a heating bottle technique pre heat lamps.

I suppose the heating difficulty is why the heritage breeds were so popular during those times. Breeding for broodiness to some extent.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I suppose the heating difficulty is why the heritage breeds were so popular during those times. Breeding for broodiness to some extent.

I think so. In the supper old gamefowl books they really emphasise how lucky a keeper is to have a broody hen, that she is super valuable. They believed having a non gamefowl hen incubate and raise gamefowl chicks made them no good. So the books though small had advice on helping the hen and what to do if a hen would not incubate properly.

The latter early poultry farm books I am reading really like broody hens too. I think you are right, better to deal with cranky hens and be able to breed the next generation then try to incubate and raise chicks without electricity.

Clearly it could be done, and I will probably look at the methods closer… but having back up power sources maybe the easier fix for us modern folks… I really need a generator. Power loss can kill incubating eggs easy.

It was so cold last night the pond and water in hoses froze here… so the cold snap continues. Not as bad as the storms you all are getting, but usually this time of year we can get started planting.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hang scale is here. So, I'll start weighing when the project begins, & when it's time to cull.

Unfortunately right now, we're getting lots of snow right now. We were supposed to get 2-4 inches, looks like we may have a foot out there.
Hating this year's weather right now.