# Heated Nest Bowls



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Has anyone used the heated nest bowls from foys? I bought one at the Lancaster show today. I turned it on and the bottom stays around 97 degrees.


----------



## sdymacz (Aug 30, 2010)

Use fine sand as nesting material. 

How was the show. I couldn't make it.


----------



## A_Smith (Aug 8, 2006)

Shadybug Lofts said:


> Has anyone used the heated nest bowls from foys? I bought one at the Lancaster show today. I turned it on and the bottom stays around 97 degrees.


I seen them at the show also. Let us know if they make a difference in your breeding. Thanks


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

sdymacz said:


> Use fine sand as nesting material.
> 
> How was the show. I couldn't make it.


The show was nice. I could only go today for a couple hours because I had to be at work at 3 and its 2 hrs from my house.


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

A_Smith said:


> I seen them at the show also. Let us know if they make a difference in your breeding. Thanks


I will let you know.


----------



## orock (Mar 28, 2011)

I was looking at them too, one thing for sure no need to pull the first egg laid in winter breeding!


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

That's the Idea. I want to use it in my little pen that I put 1 pair in. It doesn't get as hot as you would think, I laid a thermometer in it and it got around 97 degrees. My pen box is closed in and with the water heater and this bowl it just might work.


----------



## Greek Boy (Apr 12, 2010)

Gary - It should help especially right after first egg is laid. As you have seen the pair usually won't sit tight until second egg is dropped. I've read this is done on purpose so both young will hatch close in time and size of each other. It should help if first egg is laid on a very cold or below freezing night. Let us know Shadybug how it works out.
Yours in sport - Nick..


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I will Nick. I am going to pair them up this weekend. It's going to be almost 50 on Sunday. I think I will use the sand idea, it should warm the sand and work better than just the egg laying in the bowl. I will post a pic of the bowl.


----------



## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

I always put sand in the bottoms of my nest bowls. Gives the babies a little traction and holds some heat in I think. Doesnt have to be anything special, they call it "play sand" at the lumber yard.....pretty clean.


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

raftree3 said:


> I always put sand in the bottoms of my nest bowls. Gives the babies a little traction and holds some heat in I think. Doesnt have to be anything special, they call it "play sand" at the lumber yard.....pretty clean.


Ok I will get some and try it. Thanks


----------



## sdymacz (Aug 30, 2010)

raftree3 said:


> I always put sand in the bottoms of my nest bowls. Gives the babies a little traction and holds some heat in I think. Doesnt have to be anything special, they call it "play sand" at the lumber yard.....pretty clean.



I add ground chalk to the sand about half a hand full and I give them lavender stalks that I cut about five inches long. They love walnut leaf stalks. Those they pick up on their own.

Make sure your sand is soft not course and clean. I get it from home depot it's called play sand yellow in color it's clean all I do is I sift the lager stones out.


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

sdymacz said:


> I add ground chalk to the sand about half a hand full and I give them lavender stalks that I cut about five inches long. They love walnut leaf stalks. Those they pick up on their own.
> 
> Make sure your sand is soft not course and clean. I get it from home depot it's called play sand yellow in color it's clean all I do is I sift the lager stones out.


Whats chalk do?


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

What if I mixed loft dressing with the sand, that would keep the ph down in the nest droppings.


----------



## Greek Boy (Apr 12, 2010)

I used sterilized sandbox sand from Agway as a floor dressing 2" deep and about 1" in bottom of nest bowls. It gave youngsters a good grip and held the heat from the parent sitting. Made a shovel from bending a screen with 1/8" x 1/8" holes and added a wooden dowel attached for cleaning the floor sand. I just scooped up a shovel full, and sand fell thru and droppings remained. It worked out very well and kept their feet very clean. I got this method from a professional breeder back in the 70's.
Yours in sport - Nick..


----------



## sdymacz (Aug 30, 2010)

Shadybug Lofts said:


> Whats chalk do?


Adds a extra cushion for the eggs and Makes the sand a bit more difficult for the birds to kick it around so it doesn't get knocked out of the bowl.

I don't know about the loft dressing And what is in it.


----------



## heeler (Nov 19, 2013)

Greek Boy said:


> I used sterilized sandbox sand from Agway as a floor dressing 2" deep and about 1" in bottom of nest bowls. It gave youngsters a good grip and held the heat from the parent sitting. Made a shovel from bending a screen with 1/8" x 1/8" holes and added a wooden dowel attached for cleaning the floor sand. I just scooped up a shovel full, and sand fell thru and droppings remained. It worked out very well and kept their feet very clean. I got this method from a professional breeder back in the 70's.
> Yours in sport - Nick..


So did I read this as -- your loft floor is 2 inches deep sand???? Man would that make floor clean up easy. What about blowing sand when the birds flap around, does it get in your waters? 
I'm also assuming that your loft is an enclosed building of some type - right?


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I just came from the hospital a piece of board caught on the table saw blade and flew at me with a vengeance, I stopped it with my finger. Wanted to clean my lofts today and pair the birds till this happened so be carful out then while working on your lofts.










Hears the heated bowl.


----------



## Greek Boy (Apr 12, 2010)

Heeler- Yes there was about 2" of sand on the entire floor. The drinkers were in the aviarys. There was no problem with sand flying around when birds flew down to the floor. The loft was enclosed except for windows, and ventilation openings low for cool air to enter and in the roof for warm air to exit. The sand worked out very well for me. Yours in sport - Nick..


----------



## sdymacz (Aug 30, 2010)

Hi Gary. How do you like the heated nest bowls. I found that babies have sore spots, around knees. So I disconnected two of them where babies where only kept one with eggs.


----------



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

sdymacz said:


> Hi Gary. How do you like the heated nest bowls. I found that babies have sore spots, around knees. So I disconnected two of them where babies where only kept one with eggs.


I never used it. I tuned it on and it didnt get warm. Didnt really see a diference. Did you use a nest bowl pad.?


----------



## sdymacz (Aug 30, 2010)

I used sand with chalk. You won't have heat transfer with just the pad. Works great for eggs. Also don't place the bowl on top of straw or wood chip shavings. The bowl gets too warm, It needs to be ventilated on the bottom. maybe pad with sand under it to help with heat transfer that should work.


----------

