sydalicious, you really MUST turn the eggs at LEAST two times a day during the hatch. Three is best, but no less than two for sure. Otherwise you just aren't going to have a successful hatch--the turning keeps the developing chick from sticking to the inside of the shell and dying. You don't want to go to all the effort and then have nearly fully developed chicks that die in the shell just short of hatch, do you? Of course not. Just turn the eggs before and after school. It only takes a minute. :) I personally don't candle my eggs, because my hens lay eggs with darker shells that are impossible to see through--also, I am concerned about handling the eggs too much and either dropping them or letting them get too chilled. So I just wait and see what comes out on hatch day. :) I figure if I'm already doing everything I can, and correctly, me candling isn't going to do me any good since I can't see through the shells. But if you get some light-colored eggs and want to candle, by all means try it--here is a site with candling info and great pics: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/b1166-w.html I use great big cardboard boxes for brooder boxes, and just throw them away when I'm done with them. I've got info and pics on my site about how I do my brooder box setups. I just use a large piece of chicken wire for a top (unless you have small children, cats or dogs that might get to the chicks, then use something sturdier) that I can lift on and off. I also like to cut a window in the side of the box and hot glue a piece of hardware cloth over it so the chicks can see out--being n a box for weeks without being able to see out is BORING! And overcrowding and boredom in chicks can lead to pecking, which is a bad thing. Basic brooder box setup: I use a couple of bricks to elevate my food and water containers, it keeps them cleaner by helping keep shavings out of them. Using either a quail waterer (see it in the pics, it has a smaller drinking ring area--or adding marbles to a chick waterer is a MUST--chicks can and do easily drown in water dishes. For heat I use a gooseneck desk lamp with a 75 watt bulb in it, and just adjust the head of the lamp up or down--if the chicks are huddled under it and peeping, they are too cold, if they are avoiding it in a big circle and gasping, they are too hot. In action! :) Here it is from the outside, Millie my Belgian d'Uccle is visiting the chicks: You can easily use wire to partition off a large box: In this case I had three 3 week old chicks and was going to add newly hatched chicks. Velvet ~:>

Here's a follow-up to Edna DeVore's column ~6-7 posts back : Evolution: It's Only a Theory, But One Worth Teaching By Edna DeVore Director of Education and Public Outreach posted: 03 March 2005 06:13 am ET My prior column was composed at 35,000 feet above North America as I surveyed the landscape from the air. The patterns etched by geological evolution are visible at altitude. Closer up, fossils tell the story of earlier life upon our continent. Gazing to the heavens, astronomers gather evidence of the evolution of planets, stars, galaxiesthe whole universe evolves. Natural history museums host large collections of extant and extinct life that document biological evolution. Yet, as I noted, teaching evolution remains controversial in America. A flood of email ensued. Many were supportive; some asked questions. Several negative and hostile emails were openly critical of my assertion that American schools should teach evolution in science classrooms to "leave no child behind". In addition to rejecting evolution for religious reasons, several people claimed that there was not sufficient evidence, that scientists could not all agree, or that evolution is "only a theory" which they equate with an unfounded idea. Evolution is supported by evidence. There are several thousand peer-reviewed scientific journals where the evidence is presented in article after article. Natural history museums house large collections of fossils that document the history of life. Geologists and astronomers have a massive amount of observational evidence of the long-term change in physical systems: stars, galaxies, planets, interstellar dust, asteroids, etc. Biologists observe and document the patterns of the evolution of life: for example, the fossil record, DNA, and the observation of evolution in action such as the adaptive evolution of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that now pose a serious threat to human health. Selective breeding in agriculture generated our crops and domestic animals over thousands of years; agriculture is evolution in action. Certainly, there are continuing debates among scientists about the particulars of cosmic, planetary, and biological evolution. The nature of science requires continual questioning of ideas, evidence and theories. Theoretical scientists consider what we know, and pose new ideas and models to explain the natural world. New models and ideas generate new scientific tests of theory: observational experiments at Earth and space-based observatories, high-energy collisions of particle physics, deep-sea dives at the plate boundaries, and lab experiments in molecular biology to cite a few. Science is based upon observational and experimental evidence. Concepts that dont match observations are altered or tossed out. Its an iterative cycle. Likewise, if a scientist makes an observation or does an experiment that cannot be replicated, the results are suspect. Scientific explanations of the natural world are tested against nature, and discarded if they do not work. Consider cold fusion. Science is a self-correcting system that provides humans with powerful descriptions that allow us to understand and predict how the natural world works. Consider Johannes Kepler, a mathematician who is often cited as one of the first modern astronomers. He took observational data collected by Tycho Brahe who was a terrific observer and had mounds of measurements for Mars. Brahe challenged Kepler to make sense of these Mars data. Tycho had his own ideas, but he didnt have Keplers mathematical skills. Kepler spent months trying to fit the Mars data to the circular epicycles and deferents that explained planetary orbits in the astronomical tradition of his day. The data just didnt fit. Unlike his predecessors, Kepler took a leap toward modern science. He elected to trust the data, and abandoned the ancient model of circles upon circles for a new description of planetary motion. His ideas can be condensed into three statements which we call Keplers laws. In their simplest form, they are: planets orbit on elliptical paths with the Sun at one focus; the period of a planets orbit is proportional to its distance from the Sun; and a planets speed in orbit is proportional to its distance from the Sun (equal areas are swept out in equal time). Kepler didnt know why the planets orbited as they did, but he could describe their orbits and make accurate predictions about future positions. The next big step came with Isaac Newton who explained that why planets orbit the Sun: gravity. Only Mercury didnt behave as predicted by Newtons physics. Einstein remodeled physics once again with special and general relativity, and was able to explain Mercurys motion. The theory of gravitation is a powerful explanation of how objects interact in space-time. Its heritage goes back to Keplers description of planetary motion based upon Brahes observational data. Its funny how no one argues that gravity is "only a theory," yet many dismiss evolution as "only a theory." At a fundamental level, popular English and scientific usage are at odds here. In popular culture, a "theory" is understood to be a guess or speculation that may or may not be based upon evidence and analysis. In science, a theory is "a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses." (Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science,National Academy of Sciences, 1998: 7). A scientific theory is the larger explanation of how the well-tested "laws" fit together to describe the natural world. Dismissing evolution as "only a theory" is, at the simplest level, a misunderstanding of the meaning of "theory" in science. But, in the current controversy, discounting evolution as "only a theory" is more than a semantic debate. Its a political statement at the heart of the attack upon teaching evolution in science classrooms in America. Science is a powerful tool for understanding the natural world, and has a dominant role in modern economics and culture. Scientific theories are at the heart of the enterprise. In the science classroom, children should learn about major scientific theories such as gravitation and evolution. Science is a way of knowing, but not the only way of knowing. There are things that science does not address. For example, music, art, emotion, and religious beliefs are all outside the domain of what science can address. I find it unfortunate that the controversy over the theory of evolution continues as science offers all humans a way to know about the natural world and how it works.

Robert Heinlein said that writing was a job, and like any other job, you had to have set goals and work every day whether you wanted to or not, for more hours each day than most other jobs required. I've forgotten how many books he wrote, but I've often contemplated that he had made a master outline which included details of each book in his series of sci-fi books *years* before they were actually written. Oppositely, most other authors that I enjoy, have stated that they write one book at a time and usually only have the vaguest outline in mind at the beginning, letting the story develop as it is written. I've also read that some authors describe the act of writing as "having a monkey on your back" or having an addiction where the daily agonies of unsuccess were far outwieghed by the momentary but glorious thrill of the occasional success. Tellya true, Michael: you write; I'll stick with the reading.

Tim Doyle complained that he never received a pop-up greenhouse after ordering it. The company in California that drop ships this item for Educational Science led us to believe that the item was in stock when it was actually back ordered. As soon as we received notice that the item was back ordered and did not drop ship, Tim Doyle was credited back in full and offered a FREE Flowerhouse pop-up greenhouse. We have no record of phone calls or emails from Mr. Tim Doyle. Educational Science has had over three years of documented problems with the MSN server--both in receiving and sending emails and Q-system phone messages delivered via email ( MSN-800-494-2962 Case # 1135555813) and did not receive any BBB or customer complaints via email, fax or mail which resulted in an arbitrary BBB F rating. According to the BBB, any company that does not respond to a customer complaint will receive a F rating. As a matter of fact, our original email edusci@msn stopped working and we had to change our email to educationalscience@msn.com (documented), which further disrupted communication with our customers. MSN is aware of the server issue and has assured us they are working to resolve the issue. Again, the BBB will arbitrarily give a company a F rating if a BBB complaint is not answered. Since responding to the one unanswered complaint our rating with the BBB is now A. Better Business Bureau Start With Trust Serving Greater Houston and South Texas BBB Business Review Reliability Report for Biogentex Laboratories, Inc. Rating: A Ratings Explanation... BBB issues Reliability Reports on all businesses, whether or not they are BBB accredited. If a business is a BBB Accredited Business, it is stated in this report. Find out more about this business: BBB Accreditation BBB Rating Business Contact & Profile Products & Services Business Management Additional Locations & Phone Numbers Customer Complaint History Government Action(s) Advertising Review BBB Copyright and Reporting Policy BBB Accreditation Back to Top This business is not a BBB Accredited Business. BBB Rating Back to Top Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of A on a scale from A+ to F. Click here for an explanation of BBB Ratings. Business Contact & Profile Back to Top Business Name: Biogentex Laboratories, Inc. Educational Science Business Address: 610 Clear Creek Avenue, Suite C League City, TX 77573 See the location on a Mapquest Map See the location on a Google Map Original Business Start Date: 12/31/1993 Local Business Start Date: 12/31/1993 Type of Entity: Corporation Incorporated: 1995 in TX Principals: James C. Wiggins, President/CEO Janice Rogers, Administrative Assistant Phone Number: (281) 554-9783 (281) 334-2064 Fax Number: (281) 557-4340 Email Address: jcw_edusci@msn.com BBB Accreditation: This business is not a BBB Accredited Business Type of Business: BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS Website Address: http://www.educationalscience.com http://www.butterflystores.com http://www.texagenLS.com http://www.ealestra.com Products & Services Back to Top This company specializes in Molecular & Cell Biology Reagents & Kits, Biotech & Life Science Kits & Equipment & Biotech Education Kits & Equipment. Business Management Back to Top Ms. Janice Rogers , Administrative Assistant Mr. James C. Wiggins , President/CEO Additional Locations & Phone Numbers Back to Top 1629 Corniche Street League City , TX 77573 See the location on a Mapquest Map See the location on a Google Map P O Box 747 League City , TX 77574 See the location on a Mapquest Map See the location on a Google Map (281) 554-9783 (760) 203-1100 (800) 832-3596 (281) 557-4340 - Fax Customer Complaint History Back to Top When considering complaint information, please take into account the business's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints. BBB processed a total of 8 complaint(s) about this business in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total 8 complaint(s) closed in the last 36 months, 5 were closed in the last 12 months. These complaints concerned: 1 regarding Customer Services Issues 1 regarding Customer Services Issues 1 regarding Delivery Issues 1 regarding Delivery Issues 1 regarding Product Issues 1 regarding Product Issues 5 regarding Refund Or Exchange Issues 5 regarding Refund Or Exchange Issues These complaints were closed as: 8 Resolved 4 Assumed Resolved 2 Company resolved the complaint issues. The consumer acknowledged acceptance to the BBB. 2 Resolved Janice Educational Science