Incubating Silkies- Advice please

Dave07 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:13 pm **Posts:** 10

Hey all, I have just put 10 silky eggs and 10 pekin bantam eggs in my rcom 20 pro yesterday and selected the preset 'chicken' function which runs at 37.5 degrees at 45% humidity for the first 18 days and 37 degrees and 65% humidity for lockdown. I spoke with another breeder today who menioned that she runs a lower temp (36.5 degrees) and higher humidity (70% in lockdown) for silky eggs. The reason for this is that the lower temp produces more hens and the higher humidity is due to the fact that silky eggs shells are quite hard.

Just wanted to know if anyone can add / aggree or disagree with this? Also would any changes affect the pekin bantams that I'm also running in the bator?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Dave

OakA · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:27 pm

I think I would be inclined to follow the manufacturers instructions in the first instance.
Then later if you wish to try the advice you have been given you will be able to make your own comparison of results.
In my experience Silky eggs are not harder/stronger than other breeds.They do however usually lay an egg with a good quality shell.
Good strong chicks can hatch easily and quickly if incubator conditions are ideal.
An important factor with any loose feathered breed is to trim the vent area of males annd females to ensure you get the best fertility to hatch live chicks.
As a breed they are sexually very active and if trimmed fertilty is not normally an issue.
Good luck.

wickedwings · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:10 pm

Can you actually influence the sex with the incubation temperature?

Lazzy · **Joined:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:13 pm **Posts:** 57

wickedwings wrote:

Can you actually influence the sex with the incubation temperature?

No

wickedwings · **Posted:** Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:56 pm

Thanks

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