Eggs not pipping

[jonhall]

Hi! We currently have 4 emu eggs in our incubator (we're first timers). Temperature is set to 37.7C and humidity is typically between 35% and 43%. We're now on day 55 and are surprised not to see more signs of imminent hatching (our understanding is this is a few days overdue given our incubation temperature).

Cumulative egg weight loss has been between 15.5% and 18.7%. All 4 eggs have distinctly warmer and cooler ends after being taken out of the incubator for a few minutes, they all roll when set down, and they all lean to one end. Slight movement has been seen from several of the eggs but no big rocking movements (we also don't take the eggs out too often to check). We haven't heard any sounds from any of the eggs.

What gives? Do we just need more patience? Is there anything we can or should do? We were expecting to have hatched out by now, or at least seen some rocking and heard whistling!

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC. @Pyxis & @ShannonsChimkens are two of our Emu hatching experts.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Hi! We currently have 4 emu eggs in our incubator (we're first timers). Temperature is set to 37.7C and humidity is typically between 35% and 43%. We're now on day 55 and are surprised not to see more signs of imminent hatching (our understanding is this is a few days overdue given our incubation temperature).

Cumulative egg weight loss has been between 15.5% and 18.7%. All 4 eggs have distinctly warmer and cooler ends after being taken out of the incubator for a few minutes, they all roll when set down, and they all lean to one end. Slight movement has been seen from several of the eggs but no big rocking movements (we also don't take the eggs out too often to check). We haven't heard any sounds from any of the eggs.

What gives? Do we just need more patience? Is there anything we can or should do? We were expecting to have hatched out by now, or at least seen some rocking and heard whistling!

Good morning!

If my math is correct, 37.7C is 99.8F. That’s a bit warm for emu eggs. The warmest I’ve seen my incubator is just shy of 97.7F. Which put the eggs at 49 to 50 days for hatch. I dont have experience with that warm of incubator temps for emu eggs.

You should see some movement as early as 36 days. Sometimes a bit earlier if you have some type of object on the egg to catch the slightest movements. Your humidity is just about right. 40% to 43% is where I run mine regularly.

But some chicks do take longer than others to hatch. But not seeing any movement yet and being on day 56 is a little concerning. By this time the eggs should be sitting pretty flat and not leaning much to either side.

What incubator are you using? Is the thermometer and hygrometer calibrated?

 

[jonhall]

We are using a styrofoam forced air GQF incubator. We have two separate digital thermometer/hygrometers in the incubator for comparison (I'm not sure if they can be calibrated). I've tweaked the temperature slightly since it does seem a bit high.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I would give it a few more days. But with no movement in any eggs, that’s not a good sign. Doesn’t mean that they’re for sure not alive but it leans in that direction.

Another important thing with emu eggs is they need fresh air daily. They release a lot of carbon dioxide, so opening the incubator a couple times each day to exchange the air is needed.

Try setting an egg on a flat surface and place an “antenna” of some kind on it. I use a .22 round as it has a flat surface on one side. That will allow you to see movements better.

 

[jonhall]

Thank you for your suggestions! We've been opening the incubator quite a bit lately to whistle at the eggs in hopes one would respond. We also put a camera in the incubator last night to see if we could see movements on video, but got nothing.

With still no definite movement we ended up cracking the eggs open today. 3 were duds and one had a dead chick that was about half the size we were expecting a fully developed one to be. This was in the egg we were sure had some slight movements a few weeks ago.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Thank you for the update! It always stinks seeing that a chick made it a ways into development and then died.

I’m going to guess it was probably a combination of temps too high and smaller incubator. I first started hatching with a small incubator and quickly found out a cabinet incubator is the way to go for emu eggs. I think it’s because they allow much more air transfer. But even with a GQF cabinet, I still had to use my own calibrated thermometer. It was 1.5 degrees less than the incubator said it was!

Are you going to give it another go?

 

[jonhall]

We definitely want to try again and would lower the temp next time. With all the other projects on the farm it probably won't be until next year though

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Bummer

You can always try to find hand raised chicks in your area. There are normally a couple people in any given area hatching and selling chicks through April and May.

Unless you like the hatching part too, which I understand.