Hello everyone, been lurking and reading for awhile (incredible amount of knowledge on this site) and thought I just come out and make a proper introduction. My name is Tien.
I ordered some eggs from Cat Dance Silkies a few weeks ago and put them under my friend's 2 determined broodies. A Buff Orpington and a Barred Rock. We had another wannabe broody but she changed her mind at the last minute. So I had 9 silkie eggs that I had to store for a few days until we got one of the girls to volunteer. Well, of course no one wanted to sit still in 100 degree CA heat. So I had to resort to Plan B....buy an incubator. Well, the prices for a good bator was a bit over my budget, which then leads me to Plan C, make my own incubator!
Armed with a huge cup of coffee, I spent the next 2 nights reading the posts on BYC's Learning Center and other posts on the forums regarding anything on incubating and hatching. Long story short, I made my incubator using 3/4" styrofoam insulation sheets, duct tape and 2 pieces of glass from photo frames. As for heat, my husband has repeatedly advised me not to touch wires, rewire, or even look at a wire for fear I have the capability of burning down our home. So I found a very small IKEA desk amp that had a 20watt bulb. I placed the entire lamp in the incubator. Problem solved! I end up having to go with a still air because adding a computer fan (which I can easily get) would again, involve me playing with wires. Along with the water reservoirs and thermometer/hygrometer, I placed warmed water filled glass jars to fill any empty space inside my bator. The bator ran for almost 48 hours with the temps at 101-102 and humidity at 45-50% before finally setting the eggs. Today will be Day 12. I have candled almost everyday and taking notes. Chicks are growing and moving inside. The highlight of my day is huddling in the pantry with my 3 kids as we watch the chicks inside move and kick about.
Along with the kids, we are anxiously waiting for them to hatch. This forum has so much valuable knowledge and experience. Would appreciate any advice y'all can give concerning silkies. I hope to learn all I can to take good care of these beautiful birds! Thanks in advance!
Tien
I ordered some eggs from Cat Dance Silkies a few weeks ago and put them under my friend's 2 determined broodies. A Buff Orpington and a Barred Rock. We had another wannabe broody but she changed her mind at the last minute. So I had 9 silkie eggs that I had to store for a few days until we got one of the girls to volunteer. Well, of course no one wanted to sit still in 100 degree CA heat. So I had to resort to Plan B....buy an incubator. Well, the prices for a good bator was a bit over my budget, which then leads me to Plan C, make my own incubator!
Armed with a huge cup of coffee, I spent the next 2 nights reading the posts on BYC's Learning Center and other posts on the forums regarding anything on incubating and hatching. Long story short, I made my incubator using 3/4" styrofoam insulation sheets, duct tape and 2 pieces of glass from photo frames. As for heat, my husband has repeatedly advised me not to touch wires, rewire, or even look at a wire for fear I have the capability of burning down our home. So I found a very small IKEA desk amp that had a 20watt bulb. I placed the entire lamp in the incubator. Problem solved! I end up having to go with a still air because adding a computer fan (which I can easily get) would again, involve me playing with wires. Along with the water reservoirs and thermometer/hygrometer, I placed warmed water filled glass jars to fill any empty space inside my bator. The bator ran for almost 48 hours with the temps at 101-102 and humidity at 45-50% before finally setting the eggs. Today will be Day 12. I have candled almost everyday and taking notes. Chicks are growing and moving inside. The highlight of my day is huddling in the pantry with my 3 kids as we watch the chicks inside move and kick about.
Along with the kids, we are anxiously waiting for them to hatch. This forum has so much valuable knowledge and experience. Would appreciate any advice y'all can give concerning silkies. I hope to learn all I can to take good care of these beautiful birds! Thanks in advance!
Tien
