incubation
incubation on Alektorophobia: a running collection of 12 stories we have gathered and hand-picked because they are worth your time. Every post here touches on incubation in some way — the news, the analysis, the deep dives, and the occasional surprise find. Chickens. Everything there is to know about chickens and the fear of them. New stories are added to this page as we find them, so check back if you want to keep up with what is happening around incubation, or subscribe to the RSS feed to get them as soon as they are published. Browse the collection below, or head back to the homepage to see everything Alektorophobia is covering right now.
Nearly all my hens are broody
## Broody Bonanza: What to Do When Your Flock Goes Still! So, you’re experiencing a broody boom! It's cluck-tastic when your hens decide to embrace motherhood, but having nearly your entire flock go broody at once—like /u/HistoricalPut3667—can feel a bit overwhelming. Currently, you're dealing with a situation where several hens, including your White Cochins, Silkies, and a Cream Legbar, are all exhibiting broody behavior. The short answer? Patience is key. While it’s tempting to intervene, often the best approach is to simply observe and allow them to fulfill their natural instincts. However, prolonged broodiness can impact egg production. For insights into ensuring your hens are getting the nutrients they need during this time, check out our article, "Food Recommendations.
Incubating eggs, air cell vanished?
## Decoding Early Chick Deaths & Vanished Air Cells: A Cluck-tastic Conundrum Losing eggs during incubation is a heart-wrenching experience, and /u/Barefootcactus is facing just that. They’ve experienced several early deaths (days 6-9) and discovered an egg with a completely vanished air cell, despite the developing chick appearing otherwise normal. Maintaining consistent temperature (99°F) and humidity (45-55%) is crucial, but fluctuating humidity, potentially exacerbated by external temperature swings, could be a key factor. Relying solely on the incubator's built-in readings, without independent verification via a separate thermometer/hygrometer, introduces another potential variable. This situation highlights the delicate balance required for successful incubation. For those dealing with similar chicken care challenges, you might find our article, "Need help immediately!!!
Chicks hatched in garden bed
## Garden Bed Brood Bonanza! Talk about a cluck-tastic surprise! /u/EhlersDanlosSucks recently shared a truly egg-citing story: their hen decided a raised garden bed was the *perfect* spot for a brood. Five eggs and a generous helping of cherry tomatoes were involved – and today, four fluffy chicks emerged! Thankfully, Mom seems to have realized tomatoes aren't exactly hatchable. 😆 This quirky situation highlights the unpredictable nature of our feathered friends. Want to witness chicken antics in real-time? Check out our "Peckington Square Chicken City Livestream 24/7 Cam" for a constant dose of fowl play. It’s a reminder that chicken keeping is full of surprises, and sometimes, those surprises bloom right alongside your veggies!
Repaired
A truly cluck-tastic recovery! Witnessing chicken injuries can be unsettling, but our community consistently demonstrates remarkable resourcefulness. User /u/core369147 recently shared a detailed account of repairing a chick’s wound—likely the result of a territorial scuffle—using a saline wash, careful skin stretching, and a touch of super glue secured with medical tape to deter pesky mosquitos. This 20-week update highlights the dedication it takes to care for our feathered friends. For more heartwarming chicken tales, check out /u/Opethfan91’s charming story, "A handsome prince I met out and about yesterday." It’s a testament to the unique personalities that make chicken keeping such an egg-citing adventure!
I can't believe it! 🥹
Hold the cluck! 🎉 A truly egg-cellent story from our community! User /u/anet_12468 recently shared an unbelievable tale of resilience amidst a recent heatwave. After fearing the worst – that a scorching spell had impacted her hens’ eggs – they discovered a miraculous surprise: two chicks hatched from a clutch of six! One hen, Pippa, even managed a second brood this year, defying expectations. It’s a testament to the tenacity of these feathered friends, and a heartwarming reminder that even in challenging conditions, life finds a way. Witnessing such determination is simply cluck-tastic! Want to observe chicken behavior firsthand? Check out our "Peckington Square Chicken City Livestream 24/7 Cam" for a constant feed of feathered antics.
Update- we have life!
Life update! Following a chilly night, we sadly lost one of Franky’s chicks, a stark reminder of the challenges of raising feathered friends. However, the remaining chick is thriving and adorable, and the three eggs under Franky are progressing nicely – a week or so until they’re ready to hatch! We’ve had a bit of a relocation saga, but after a rather unconventional “airlift” maneuver (yes, we literally moved Franky and her nest!), she’s happily settled into a new, cozy pen. This experience highlights the unpredictable joys of chicken keeping! If you've ever encountered similar challenges, check out our article, "Hens with poop on their butt," for insights into common chicken care issues.
Hi guys do you think my silky rooster can breed with these large hens
## Rooster Romance & Hatching Hope: Can Silky Breed with Larger Hens? A cluck-tastic question from /u/Several_Mechanic_708! You're wondering if your silky rooster's brief encounters with your larger hens could lead to egg-citing results – and whether incubation is worthwhile. While short mountings *can* indicate interest, success isn't guaranteed; size differences can sometimes impact fertilization. Given your silky hens sadly passed, cross-breeding is your current option. Incubation might be worth exploring, but monitor for signs of fertility (egg shape, thickness) before committing. It’s a bit of fowl play, but a potentially rewarding experiment! For those new to the hatching process, you might find our article, "URGENT!! Chickens hatching under broody hen," helpful in understanding best practices.
Tips for new broody chicken mama?
Congratulations on your hen's hatching success! Witnessing a broody hen raise chicks is a truly *cluck-tastic* experience, and your dedication to ensuring their well-being is admirable. While incubating chicks yourself is one thing, letting a mama hen take the reins introduces a delightful, albeit slightly nerve-wracking, new dimension. Your concerns are spot-on – new chicks require extra attention! To maximize your little ones’ chances of thriving, prioritize easy access to food and water. The baby waterer is a smart move, and monitoring for drowning is always prudent. For ramp navigation, gentle encouragement may be all that's needed. And yes, "shrink wrapping" is a valid worry; keeping the coop well-ventilated is key.
URGENT!! Chickens hatching under broody hen- do I do anything??
## Urgent Hatching Help! A Broody Hen's Surprise Delivery! Panic setting in as your broody hen surprises you with a clutch of hatching chicks? We get it – it’s a *cluck-tastic* situation! While hatching chicks is usually egg-cellent, that early loss has you understandably worried. Don't chickening out! Generally, leaving them to it is the best approach; intervention can often do more harm than good. A light misting with water *can* help if you notice any chicks struggling to break free, but avoid overdoing it. This is a common conundrum, and you're not alone! For a look at some other adorable chicken updates, check out "Young adults!": I promised like a month ago to post these beauties as grown ups.
I put shelf liner down in my incubator and now my eggs have weird marks on them
Oh dear, those lumpy egg impressions are a bit unsettling, aren't they? It sounds like you stumbled into a bit of *fowl play* with that shelf liner! While seemingly a clever way to prevent egg-rolling, certain shelf liner materials can react with the eggs, leaving those marks—and potentially impacting humidity levels critical for proper development. It’s best to ditch the liner; manually turning the eggs, though a bit trickier, is the safer route. Don't chickening out on the manual turning! It's a small price to pay for healthy chicks. Speaking of chicken behavior, if you're also dealing with a feathered friend who enjoys blocking doorways, you might find some relatable insights in our article, “Ginger, the Great Door Blocker.”
Incubation: I'm hand turning. Would it be best to turn 3x a day instead of 5x since I'll have to be opening the incubator each time?
## Hand-Turning Incubation: Finding the Sweet Spot So, you're hand-turning your eggs – cluck-tastic effort! It’s a common conundrum when your egg turner can’t handle the whole clutch. Our community member /u/Kitchen_Possible_159 is wrestling with exactly that, questioning whether 3 turns a day is better than 5, given the temperature and humidity fluctuations from repeated incubator openings. With 18 eggs and a turner for only 12, they're considering culling non-fertile eggs to match capacity – a tough decision! The key takeaway here is balancing consistent turning with minimizing environmental disruption. For more insights into flock dynamics, check out our recent discussion on "Weird behavior" and introducing a rooster. Let's hear your hand-turning tips and experiences – share your egg-citing successes (and challenges) in the comments!
incubated eating eggs day 5
Hold the cluck! /u/Choice-Stock-1770 just delivered a *seriously* egg-citing update! After snagging some mystery eggs from a flea market – against Dad’s better judgment, apparently – this chicken enthusiast threw them into a quail incubator, fully expecting… well, nothing. But Day 5 brought a cluck-tastic surprise: all but one egg revealed a thriving, moving embryo with visible veins! Seems Dad’s hour-long lecture about dashed hopes might need a rethink, especially since a $10 bet was involved. Talk about fowl play! This just goes to show, even mini-fridge-stored eggs can hold some incredible secrets. For more tales of unexpected poultry surprises, check out "The Problem Child" – you won’t want to miss it!