trystinn | Weekend Bator Experiment

We ran around on a bit of an adventure yesterday afternoon, picking up the additional items needed to make a home incubator. We managed to find a remote thermometer (which I shall be using for baking, when not incubating eggs), the egg turner system, water delivery container (i.e. picnic ketchup bottle) and a surge protector. We were not able to find the last few things: a water weenie (to test temps inside the eggs) or a decent light system. I still need to grab a couple feet of aquarium tubing for the water delivery system, to maintain humidity.

We're thinking to try something a bit different to heat & move air - using a very small space heater/fan combo to see if we can maintain steady temperature safely. If it doesn't work, its going right back! This thing has a dozen settings, hopefully one will be right. *fingers crossed*

Meanwhile, I continue to search for eggs to order.

I'm hoping for standard-sized Frizzle Cochins, because I have a standard Cochin rooster to whom I can breed them with to get a few of my own breeding projects going. I really adored this cute hen at the Island County Fair, a sweet little Black Frizzle who was getting older and almost out of lay so there's likely not going to be any Frizzles going forward here. Which I find very sad, they are a unique offering for the 4-H kids to show.

From there, I'd just like to try a combination of decent layers (Speckled Sussex), perhaps a few Silkies, and maybe sneak a few rare pretties (Mille Fleurs?). I'm trying to choose birds we don't have too many of on the Island already, to hopefully ensure a market.

The hatcheries, of course, are all sold out and it takes ages to get the alternate sources to return emails. Including several who failed to label theirs bantams. Argh!