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Welcome to My Blog!
Schooling two active boys has never been more... interesting. That's the word I'm looking for!
I love my boys! God has given them the blessing of strong, active bodies and minds. We continually pray the first will remain intact, and the second will remain engaged with Him first, and then the school work. You'll meet my sweet sons, both entirely different, but both loving God to the best of their ability in the way He made them. I lovingly refer to them as my Bell Pepper Boy and my Habanero or Hambone. That should say it all!
This blog is an eclectic mix. The events, conversations, and the thoughts behind it all will be in here.
Every once in a while I'll try to capture something I don't want to forget. I hope you find things you enjoy. Please let me know if you do!
Blessings!
Our Curriculum
- Mystery of History vol. 1
- Saxon 5/4
- Horizons Grade 2
- A Beka Language
- Spelling Power
- Apologia Zoology 1
Books I'm Reading
- The Bible
- Adam and His Kin by Beechick
- It by Groeschel
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Thursday, September 18, 2008
Eggs-it...Stage Left!
Posted in School Things
I was hoping I could come up with another title for my blog entry related to the quail eggs! Hooray for creative inspiration from old cartoons! ;') (Bonus points to the friend who knows which character said this all the time.)
Well, today is actually Day 13. Who could imagine getting this far in the process? None of the eggs have imploded or exploded yet. Most feel fairly dense, which could be a good sign. And, after today, we won't be touching them until they hatch. It's only water fills for humidity at this point.
We'll need to set up a brooder this weekend in preparation for the quail chicks. Here's what we'll need for the brooder:
- a 10-gallon aquarium (a box works, but the hot bulb seems a hazard to me)
- a new 60-watt light bulb (red bulbs for heat are optional)
- a simple corded light fixture to suspend in the tank in some way
- a thermometer for the heated area is a must
- two clean bricks are optional for suspending the light fixture
- rubber shelf lining for the bottom of the tank prevents splayed legs
- paper towels for the bottom of the tank under the shelf liner
- two very shallow lids from jars
- small marbles for the water dish
We will use a 10-gallon glass aquarium with a 60-watt bulb suspended at the height to reach 95 degrees in one area of the aquarium. If we use the bricks the heat will radiate down creating a place to snuggle against them for warmth when needed. The most important factor will be the temperature of one half or one area in the brooder. It must, must, must be 95 degrees in one area. And cooler areas are okay and necessary, too. The chicks find the right place to be for their body temperatures.
The bottom of the brooder should have a layer of paper towel for absorbency and easy clean up topped with a layer of the rubber shelf liner. This gives the chicks traction for their feet. Splayed legs are very difficult to correct and unnecessary if this one thing is done right.
We use two shallow jar lids for food and water for our chicks. The food will be a wild game bird feed that is mashed to almost a powder. (These are very small chicks.) Eventually we will introduce greens and mealworms, but that's later. The food will be scattered pretty quickly, and the new chicks will get the hang of looking for "scratch" pretty quickly.
The water dish is the one we give the most attention. Nothing is more dangerous for a young chick than water! Water has two main dangers: it can drown, and it can drench and cool body temperature. So, to keep the chicks from falling in, drowning, or becoming drenched and drafted, we put a small amount of water in the lid. We add small marbles to the dish to keep them out of the water mainly, but they do double duty. Birds peck at shiny things. The marbles are shiny. This is one way to encourage the chicks to drink regularly.
We will put the food and water just outside the warmest part of the brooder. This encourages them to walk to the edge of warmth and then go back. It keeps the biggest mess out of their sleeping area, too.
Soon, if God determines we are to have them, we'll have little bumblebee-sized fluffs walking around here. I just can't WAIT to see what God does!
I hope you enjoyed a peek into our preparations! We await God's amazing display of power in creating and sustaining life! :'D
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Thursday, September 18, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Your OLD friend knows who the cartoon character is.:o) Why, it's Snagglepuss, of course...and to that I should add..."Stage right, even".;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4qFxTTi8q0
Pass the bonus points...or...um...chocolate?;)