My Tilley lamp is going out

Thank you MYN.Not so sure there will be any,but maybe.She will be sitting on her clutch for 3 weeks this week.It could be today or during the week as she is young.
Fingers crossed.I am bringing 2 of my pullets born on the 18th of may down to cork for christmas for my brother's small gift.
Blessings from Ireland,
Fiona

 

@Fiona Farrell
Thank you but there's no need for a card, we're all here to help and
hopefully it won't take long to fit the new seals once they arrive and your Tilley burns brightly once again.

 

I've had an experience a long time ago when my hen hatched ten chicks in exactly 21 days. I know the anxiety of the wait.

 

Thank you MYN I will if any arrive.

 

Hello MYN and all,
I hope you are all well?
I haven't had time to service my Tilley and Petromax lsmps yet,but hopefully in the next few weeks.
Little clocking hen is still sitting on her clutch of eggs.
It will be 7 weeks on Sunday coming.
I am buying 5 × 1 week old rhode island red ichybrid chicks on saturday and will put them where she can hear them and then under her aat
night.
Fingers crossed she will take to them and they will survive.
Happy Holidays,
Fiona

 

Hello Fiona. I think we are all fine here. 7 weeks seem way too long. The eggs were supposed to hatch by 3 weeks. What happened to those? Unless the hen that laid them had not been fertilized in the first place.
Pretty hen you have there.

 

I confess I used to despair when my Buff Orpingtons went broody as it was very difficult to persuade them otherwise. When I re-stocked I made the decision to get hybrids and now keep only Araucana crosses for their blue eggs and Warrens. The warrens are incredibly docile and excellent layers as would be expected.

 

Yes MYN,that is why I am buying 5 × 1 week old rhode island red hybrid chicks tomorrow,please God and I will put them under her when it is dark.
The eggs she is sitting on are not fertile as the rooster isn't very active this time of year.
But I haven't the heart to take the eggs from her.
Kind regards,
Fiona

 

I've never kept them but I thought hens got, er, mated (or whatever it is) once and they could store the sperms inside them for an extended period - i.e. they didn't have to be 'attended to' every time they laid an egg. Maybe your rooster is just a lazy bugger, though...

The Rolling Stones - Little Red Rooster (Live 1976) - YouTube

 

You can try sneaking in those chicks one by one while taking an egg out for each.
Well at least she's still broody.
Some hens would never become broody at all.

 

Yes David it appears that the rooster isn't doing much this time of year.No I don't think that one mating lasts for a good while unfortunately.
The man I bought all from said he doubted that I would have any chicks when he heard she was broody.
I am collecting the chicks tonight so I pray I will manage to get them under her and she will take to them.
Hugs,
Fiona

 

Yes MYN,I will do my best tonight and hope she is still sitting on the clutch when I get home.Car broke down today but am getting sorted by my lovely mechanic and his lady wife.
Yes delighted she is broody.

 

I will post photos when I can..I lost one chick yesterday to a rat I think..but all 4 others ok today and Bonny is taking to them..so tiny..rhode island red hybrid chicks I bought..
Happy Christmas everyone,
Fiona

 

Sorry to hear you have lost a chick. It's the name of the game I suppose as out of any given clutch at least one is lost for any number of reasons. Let's hope the surrogate mother becomes protective.

You may have heard that on this side of the sea we have had a number of outbreaks of bird flu so the powers that be have decreed that all chooks have to be confined indoors for the time being. That has not gone down too well with my chooks who have always been free ranging but are now caged under tarpaulin. They have plenty of room in there but they gaze wistfully at the world outside and I have to be very careful when I go to feed and water them that they don't make a dash for freedom.

What with we humans in lockdown and now my chooks, these are not the best times in which we live. Heck I can't even attend car boot sales or antique fairs to source more lamps!

 

Sorry about the lost chick. Glad to hear Bonny's taking the rest of 'em.

 

Thanks R100,yes bird flu is here too but I won't put mine in unless hounds are hunting or the department force me to.
I am prepared to take my chances..they get lots of garlic,whole wheat and home cooked fish and some oregano and cod liver oil and spring water.
Hopefully this time will help nature to heal and neighbours to be more friendly when it is over.
Biodiversity and good hygiene and diet are important.
I have Jim Worthington's book 'Natural Poultry keeping'
Hugs,
Fiona

 

Thanks MYN..she and little ones are either in my dog kennel and run or my Sussex coop..they are confined until she wants to be free with them.
Thanks,
Fiona

 

Sussex? Well Bonny looks more like a Marans to me.
You'd need the Tilley in the coop.

 

@MYN Sussex is a type of coop as well as a breed of hen.

www.chickencoopsdirect.com/sussex-chicken-house-with-run

 

Yes on the coop Henry. But Bonny appears more like a Marans to me. I'm aware of the speckled feathers only around the neck on the Sussex.
Bonny is speckled all over her entire body. One of the variants too?

 

Yes Henry you are right.My broody hen is a cuckoo Maran hen and I was referring to my original sussex coop.
I have purebred cuckoo marans,rhode islands and a black french copper Maran hen.Now 4 hybrid rhode island chicks and one rhode island black french copper Maran cross hen I bred from my last Rhode Island rooster who was killed by a fox,the mother is still alive but the last broody hen was also killed the same day my last rooster was killed.
Hopefully I will be more lucky this year and not lose as many by having my Jack Russell Terrier bitch puppy.
All being looked after as I am down with my family in Cork.
Happy Christnas,
Hugs,
Fiona

 

I hope you and your brother enjoy your Christmas presents...

One day I'll get to Cork - probably when cruises start up again (whenever that will be)...

 

Thank you very much David.Wonderful presents.
Hugs,
Fiona

 

Hello everyone and Happy New Year,
I am down to just one chick out of 5..Bonny isn't a great mother..she let two chicks die in the freezing weather when I was at work.

Anyway I emptied the fuel from my Tilley X246 lamp tonight,pumped a good bit with the control knob closed and immersed the lamp in water.
I couldn't see any bubbles coming at all.
I did this test with my Petromax lamps and I got bubbles under the pump.
That is all I have done so far.
I am making beeswax candles though too.
I haven't done any more with my petromax or my christmas gift yet.
Hugs,
Fiona

 

Happy New year Fiona, fae Jeff in Shetland.

 

Happy New Year Fiona.

That's a shame about the chicks. It must be a little disheartening after all the effort you've put in to improve / increase your flock.

Going back to the problem you were having with your Tilley, well it sounds like your Tilley is airtight providing the pump is working effeciently. Here are three leather washers from Tilley pumps, admittedly the one on the left is a little worn but they are all nicely oiled and supple and should work well.



But look again at the leather on the left. This one had splits in it which let the air go past it and back up the pump tube instead of down through the NRV (non return valve) and into the tank.



Obviously, these splits became exaggerated when I opened the leather to photograph but you get the picture. No pun intended.