Friday, March 6, 2009

The Great Hatching Experiment

Last week, a discussion was started on my chicken forum Backyardchickens.com wondering if a human being could incubate a chicken eggs to hatching.

Chicken eggs are normally set at 99-102 degrees in an incubator, so the temp isn't that far off. Then we started to think about areas of the body that are warm all the time. Groin and armpit were discussed and discarded because there is no way you could keep an egg there for 21 days unless you were confined to bed rest. So, that left us with the last best place to incubate an egg - cleavage!

Since I have an extra large "incubator", I was nominated to become the "Broody Hen". This was amid much hilarity, ribbing, and extreme peer pressure. Chicken People tend to be a raucous bunch!

I acquired a dozen fertile eggs from a wonderful lady up in East Bethel, MN. Since they were bantam eggs, which makes them the size of the medium eggs you'd get in the grocery store, I started to realize that I could easily warm more than 1 egg. After a bunch of experimenting (I'll leave that to your imagination) I decided that the optimum number of eggs was 8. The other 4 went into a regular incubator as the "control group". I have started a blog because there were a number of people interested in whether or not something this crazy could possibly work.

Feel free to drop by and see how it goes! Comments and questions are always welcome.

Katie

16 comments:

  1. Apparently some people have no sense of humor :D

    Experiment on!!!

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  2. I was so mad when i saw my post had been deleted! apparently BYC wasnt impressed with our BoobBator experiment hahah.
    but this was a great idea to make a blog!

    experiment:BoobBator is still on! =] hooray

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  3. Some people are sooo sensitive!
    Great idea to set up on your own. I'll be following!

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  4. Chris (CARS)

    Thanks for sending the link.
    I was kinda ticked that the Mod had removed both threads.
    Good luck with the hatch.

    (so are you going to post pics?? :-)

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  5. Thanks for the link!
    people gotta get used to the word: boob.

    hey i bet them "warmers" are envied by many actresses!

    -Chuckengirl

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  6. As one who witnessed some of the many butterflies and moths you hatched when you were a kid, I have total faith in your newest experiment. Go Katie! :)

    ~Em

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  7. aka warhorse from BYC

    Thanks for the link! What set off the "society standard" alarms on BYC? "cleavage"? hmmpf.

    So, how did the airport thing go? How is your daily routine going?

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  8. By the way, what kind of eggs are they?

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  9. I am SO looking forward to reading about this experiment. I can't believe that everything got deleted from BYC... people complained about it? Are you kidding me? This is hysterical!

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  10. I won't comment on the BYC deleting the thread other than to say it is maddening. My feeling is, if you don't like a particular thread, DON'T READ IT!

    I have gone through airport security twice with no difficulties. :)

    My daily routine hasn't really changed much, except that I am having a wonderful time shocking people! hehehehe!!!

    The eggs are a variety. They came from pens that had bantam Cochins, Seramas, Ameracaunas, and Belgian d'Uccles.

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  11. This is just inspired. Thank God for the new found respect for, and interest in, science during the new presidency.

    I'm not suggesting anything, but it would seem appropriate to have photographic support for your experiment...:-)

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  12. Weatherboy -

    Wonder what the folks at Glamour Shots would say??!!

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  13. Anxiously following! Perhaps a tougher egg, like from a game chicken, that have a thicker shell, may help prevent another mishap. Keep up the good work. I`m rooting for ya......

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  14. Katie! I didn't realize those threads got deleted :( I was looking for them and just happened to see that you had a website so I jumped on over here! I will be watching :D Good luck! Are you going to candle?

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  15. BTW this is hangin wit my peeps :D

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  16. Hi, there! I saw your ad on Backyard Chickens forum and followed you here, trying to find an email address. I live in SE South Dakota and am looking for a few Ameraucauna pullets, willing to pick up. I am a "backyard hobbyist" and the chickens will be pets. Please contact me at moongazr@gmail.com. Thanks!

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