[Fifitrix]

Hey everyone.  I haven't been around for a while cos I've been too busy enjoying my lovely ladies.

We've now penned them off as they really were trashing the garden and I'm trying to deal with the guilt issues. :oops:

Anyhow, I've got the bug so bad that I borrowed my friends incubator and have bought some eggs off Ebay.

They have just arrived and I am beside myself with excitment.  I have got a book all about it but it doesn't seem to be helping me with regards to how long I need to rest the eggs before I pop them in the incubator.  Can anyone tell me?

Also I need to buy a heat lamp.  As you know I like to do everything on the cheep (did you see what I did there?!)     so I was going to keep the chicks (if they hatch  :roll: ) in an indoor guinea pigs house.  Can anyone see a problem with this?  Could I just balance the heat lamp on top of it?

[Jellyhead]

Hi Fifitrix, welcome back I have a Silkie broody in an indoor Guinea Pig cage and she has hatched 3 chicks. Its deep enough to keep chicks in, nice size floor area etc. Just be very careful not to let heat lamp too close to cage OR chicks :shock: the lamp obviously :oops:  gets very hot I did a similar thing with hamster case after chicks had been rejected, it worked fine cos i slid the lid back and positioned the lamp above the gap using an anglespoise lamp. it worked fine just make sure the lamp doesnt get too close Good luck

[Bodger]

Rest the eggs for at least 24 hours

[pushrod]

Heat lamps can be really expensive - at this time of year a couple of 60 watt bulbs in super cheep [ ] lamps will more than suffice.
In my brooding house i just wired in a couple of plastic bulb holders (60p each at wilkinsons) and 2 x 60w bulbs even got them through february.

[Fifitrix]

Heat lamps can be really expensive - at this time of year a couple of 60 watt bulbs in super cheep [ ] lamps will more than suffice.

Really?  Really really?  Could I just put the lamps IN the cage?

[pushrod]

Heat lamps can be really expensive - at this time of year a couple of 60 watt bulbs in super cheep [ ] lamps will more than suffice.

Really?  Really really?  Could I just put the lamps IN the cage?

that's what i've done in the past with THESE

[Fifitrix]

Woo Hoo!  That is SO simple.  I might just give it a go.  How exciting.

However, I do feel a bit like Tom & Barbara on the Good Life as my friend who lent me the incubator is doing it all very properly with her eglu cube and eglu etc etc.  I think she'll despair when she sees that not only are my chooks in a hutch I'm slumming it with a cheep ( ) lamp and a guinea pig cage.   :roll:

Ho hum, I'm sure I'll get over it!

[Fifitrix]

Hey there.

My incubator is saying 45 degrees with 28% humidity since I put the eggs in.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

[pushrod]

Turn the temp down - you need it to say 38 CELCIUS otherwise you will cook them!
Have you checked it with a separate thermometer?
It's a good idea to run the incubator for a day to check the temp before putting the eggs in.

[Fifitrix]

Yes I had it going for 2 days before and it was all ok.  Although the humidity never went above 45% but it's all gone haywire since I put the eggs in :shock: .

It's now saying 41 degrees/41% humidity.

[pushrod]

Try and get a separate thermometer and put it right in beside the eggs and see what the temp is. A max - min greenhouse thermometer is quite useful for this. After about 10 days you should try and candle the eggs to see which ones are viable. ( i can explain how to do this if you are unsure)

[pushrod]

I think she'll despair when she sees that not only are my chooks in a hutch I'm slumming it with a cheep ( ) lamp and a guinea pig cage.   :roll:

Ho hum, I'm sure I'll get over it!

I think, as with anything, there are always people who will try and sell you a load of stuff when it's more than possible to improvise. Henhouses are a case in point. You can easily spend several hundreds of pounds on them or equally you can bash something together with plywood, roofing felt, a bit of timber and a saw, hammer and nails. I've made two that are still working well and both were less than £25 each  

[Fifitrix]

Well thank you for all your help push rod.  I spoke to my friend who owns the incubator and she told me I probably shouldn't have the themometre right beside the eggs.   :oops:   It's now on the inside of the lid and giving a much better reading.  Phew!

I feel like such a newbie with this.  I had terrible nightmares last night.  I kept coming downstairs and finding empty egg shells in the incubator. :shock:

My OH thinks I'm loosing my mind :shock:  :shock:

[pushrod]

hopefully a good night's sleep tonight then, good luck with the eggs.

[nettynoodles1]

awwwwwww fingers crossed they all hatch fine and you dont have any more nightmares