Silkies emerging ????

[nhoj6465]

I have about 100 cocoons and about 8 pairs already mating. So yesterday I had 3 females lay eggs, they were light yellow n color and today they r a lil tan. Is that normal. If there is anyone who have done this before please chime in I need ur help! I would hate to lose all these things if I am doin someting wrong. If you can maybe send me a pm and give me ur # so I can call that would be easier then writing back and forth. Thank you! No one has to give me their # just a message here will be fine.

 

[laurie]

Would help if I had any idea what to tell you. The best I can offer is I will buy silkies from you.

 

[nhoj6465]

Would help if I had any idea what to tell you. The best I can offer is I will buy silkies from you.

LOL that is funny! I hope that u can get some if they get fertilized correctly. Cross ur fingers!! I hope they all make it! All of my worms made it hopefully all of the eggs do to!

 

[FroggtheCham]

Don't worry!!! This is good!! They are creamy yellow at first and should darken up if they are fertile. Some of mine range in shades of grey. Once they turn grey they are ready for the cool down. Some of mine hatch out with out the cool down, so if some of the eggs are looking very dark grey to black, don't refrigerate them yet. I wait another week, and if they don't hatch then I refrigerate from 3-4weeks. You are doing a good job!!! Congratulations on ur success

 

[nhoj6465]

Don't worry!!! This is good!! They are creamy yellow at first and should darken up if they are fertile. Some of mine range in shades of grey. Once they turn grey they are ready for the cool down. Some of mine hatch out with out the cool down, so if some of the eggs are looking very dark grey to black, don't refrigerate them yet. I wait another week, and if they don't hatch then I refrigerate from 3-4weeks. You are doing a good job!!! Congratulations on ur success

Ok so maybe I should seperate all of the eggs n diff containers according to when they were laid? So if they turn diff color then they r fertilized/Should I refridgerate them after they turn grey? And what should I do with the males and female moths are they done after they lay? It seems like the male still want to fertilize even after they r done. And is it ok to feed them to my Chams? Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FroggtheCham]

Ok so maybe I should seperate all of the eggs n diff containers according to when they were laid? So if they turn diff color then they r fertilized/Should I refridgerate them after they turn grey? And what should I do with the males and female moths are they done after they lay? It seems like the male still want to fertilize even after they r done. And is it ok to feed them to my Chams? Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

U can try to seperate the eggs, but the timing doesn't have to be that specific. I have waited for the batch of moths to die off and the last of the eggs to turn b4 cooling. If the eggs need the cool down, they won't hatch without it. It takes a couple days for the eggs to darken, I've had some take 5 or so days to turn. When they are grey u can refrigerate. If they don't turn grey, they are no good/not fertilized. U will have some of each. U can leave the moths all in ur bin, and they will all pair up over and over and produce more eggs until they die. I do feed some off when they get to the 4 th day or so, since they usually only live about a week. I've noticed as they get old, they stop breeding, that is when I feed them to my guys. FYI, even doing things "correctly" u will have eggs that won't hatch. I have some that cool down and hatch at room temp, and some that I have to incubate to hatch, and some that don't hatch at all. From what I understand, using chow instead of leaves is supposed to reduce success rate of cocoons hatching and eggs hatching, but to be honest, I have not had problems using chow.

 

[nhoj6465]

Ok so maybe I should seperate all of the eggs n diff containers according to when they were laid? So if they turn diff color then they r fertilized/Should I refridgerate them after they turn grey? And what should I do with the males and female moths are they done after they lay? It seems like the male still want to fertilize even after they r done. And is it ok to feed them to my Chams? Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just found some really good info @ wormspit!!

 

[FroggtheCham]

Good luck and have fun!!!!! If I can help at all, let me know!!!