Where Do You Stand With Incubation?

[The Angry Hen]

-K

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Perhaps this thread should be titled something along the lines of breeding the broodiness from breeds or something like that?

As far as incubation itself...I believe in both.

I have tons of broody hens...but not the best setup...yet...to be able to have them brood without havoc and anarchy reining in the coop. When we move to the next coop...there will be room for broody hens.

But electric incubation is just as fine. If you are procuring new stock from previously active broody hens...that instinct is still be passed on. Certain diseases can be kept from passing to the new chicks. Power going out isn't that much of an issue...embryos can survive being cold 12 hours quite fine. Turning...I've spent part of the day in my coop working on things and the some of the broody hens never turned their eggs. Mine get turned when I get to it. What chicks live, live...the chicks that don't make it weren't meant to be here.

Either way, broody or electric...I breed for survival of the fittest genetics, not for numbers...so what ever hatches better be tough to withstand the stresses.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Hello,

Yes, great decision!
I named the thread this because I would like to learn your thoughts.

Good idea for a name though.

I know that eggs can be cold for a certain amount of hours,
but how about a week long? Or even 2 days? Just my thought.

You have a good logic!
-The Angry Hen

 

[paneubert]

I do not know if this is even God knows possible, but in twenty years if hatcheries and egg factories all incubate eggs, hens might no longer have a broody mother instinct.

I have quail, and they are not broody 99% of the time. The 1% I have seen, they are only partially broody and just sort of sit on an egg or two when they feel like it. No consistency. I fully believe this is due to having the need to incubate bred out of them.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Hello,

Good choice.
Yes, I have that problem with Guinea fowl.

They never went broody.
For other birds (not chickens) I like incubation,

Same with chickens but I prefer brood.

You worded that right.
It is how they grew up, more percentage of incubation.

I hope that your quails decide to be motherly one day!

-The Angry Hen

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Hello,

Yes, great decision!
I named the thread this because I would like to learn your thoughts.

Good idea for a name though.

I know that eggs can be cold for a certain amount of hours,
but how about a week long? Or even 2 days? Just my thought.

You have a good logic!
-The Angry Hen

I've had both week old embryos and approximately day 19-20 chicks go 12 hours with no heat.

The week old embryos were at 6C in may when I got the broody back on them. All hatched fine and on schedule.

The day 20ish eggs spent Saturday afternoon outside in the sun and wind and I when candled 12 hours after being collected...one was internally pipped. Three were pipped Monday evening and three of them are out today.

I put approx. week old embryos in the incubator last night from Saturday when I picked the above eggs. They won't be alive. I'd be amazed if they were. I candle tonight once it's dark.

I want the toughest chickens possible. Selection by survival of the fittest is how I'll get there I believe. I've got 20-30 years. It took me about 10 years with my sheep and we're year 7 with the cattle and we're "almost" there. It takes that long to get consistently performing stock to my standards. With a lot of pets along the way.

 

[The Angry Hen]

Lol. Cool, thank you for the info!
That is nice to know!

-The Angry Hen

 

[The Angry Hen]

Hello,

Where does everybody else stand with incubation?

-The Angry Hen

 

[JaeG]

I like a good broody to do all the hard work. It's so much easier! But if you are needing to hatch lots of eggs you'd need an incubator.

I've seen my broodies get off their externally pipped eggs for a snack or sip of water. I've seen them turning eggs during what in an incubator would be 'lockdown'. All the chicks hatched fine. I figure they know what they are doing. And they teach their babies you mean good things. Plus there's nothing cuter than their interactions. I love it!

 

[Country3883]

Ok I support both I totally agree with natural Broody hens but if it's to supply chickens to a feed store for sell I've been told you can control the sex of a chick by temp of the egg idk if this is true or not but I prefer a mixed batch becouse as of now I'll eat the rooster that are more the the one I need but I've also been told rirs don't brood but I have yet to have a rirs that didn't brood