New facilities for snail breeding.

So here at the snail farm we have been busy preparing to welcome the snails out of hibernation. The team have been working hard to prepare the perfect environment for them to breed, grow and prosper. We have also been building a new snail shed for next winter.

We are constructing a new 3 section facility which we will use new year to breed and nurture the baby snails after they have emerged from their eggs. The first section will be used to hibernate the snails. They will be gathered from the snail beds before it gets too cold for them in late October. The second section will be used to breed adult snails when they are taken out of hibernation. In the third section we will hatch baby snails and to grow them until they are strong enough to be placed in the snail beds outside. When they are large we will harvest Snail Mucin to make Snail Cream in Ireland.

We will control conditions in the new snail shed very tightly. Temperatures will be different in all three sections. Quite cool in the hibernation because we do not want snails waking from hibernation until the out side conditions are right. Very warm in the nursery room to ensure the baby snails have the best possible chance. Then quite warm in the breeding room to encourage the snails to mate.

Humidity is another very important factor in the life of a snail. I am sure we have all noticed how the snails appear after a heavy nights rain. This is because these little guys just love moisture, in fact, because Ireland has such a damp climate this is the perfect place to grow snails and make snail cream. We will control each section will to optimise comfort levels and provide perfect conditions for the snails.

Air quality is another factor when trying to breed/grow snails. There will need to be a number of air changes in each section every hour to ensure the snails have a constant supply of fresh air to allow them to prosper. We will keep you updated on the progress of the construction as we go through the year.