2022/2023 Emu Hatch-a-Long

[Pyxis]

I might not have a good year here with hatches. The first batch was possibly compromised when I lost power for 18 hours one day after I set the eggs. The next batch of three is probably okay, but was laid during really cold temperatures so I can never be sure if I snagged the eggs quick enough.

Then she laid six eggs over a period of two weeks when I was recovering from a back injury, so my dad was helping me and doing all the feeding and watering, but wasn't quite brave enough to lift Sebastian up to get the eggs from under him. When I finally recovered enough to get out there I found him off the eggs, and four were frozen all the way through and cracked wide open. Two were cold but not cracked, but likely they are not good.

And since then she hasn't laid again, sigh. Now it's only been a week so I can't say for sure she isn't just taking a long break in between eggs, but she was going every three to four days.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I might not have a good year here with hatches. The first batch was possibly compromised when I lost power for 18 hours one day after I set the eggs. The next batch of three is probably okay, but was laid during really cold temperatures so I can never be sure if I snagged the eggs quick enough.

Then she laid six eggs over a period of two weeks when I was recovering from a back injury, so my dad was helping me and doing all the feeding and watering, but wasn't quite brave enough to lift Sebastian up to get the eggs from under him. When I finally recovered enough to get out there I found him off the eggs, and four were frozen all the way through and cracked wide open. Two were cold but not cracked, but likely they are not good.

And since then she hasn't laid again, sigh. Now it's only been a week so I can't say for sure she isn't just taking a long break in between eggs, but she was going every three to four days.

That is such a bummer but there’s still plenty of time in the laying season. I saw eggs into late March last year. When did yours stop last year?

I had thought Willy was going 2 to 3 weeks in between each egg. I was bummed because she laid every 3 to 6 days last season and had high hopes for this year. Then I stumbled on a pile of 6 eggs that were very well hidden in some gross off to the side. (I check everywhere, every day) I put all of them in the incubator, but I’m sure half or more won’t hatch. Double check that grass!

 

[briefvisit]

'I stumbled on a pile of 6 eggs'

Ah! It's gonna take us decades to figger out The Hidden Egg Thang!

SE

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

'I stumbled on a pile of 6 eggs'

Ah! It's gonna take us decades to figger out The Hidden Egg Thang!

SE

Sneaky little turds they are!

The pile was a ways away from where the female was laying, which means they were rolling the eggs 7 or 8 feet to make the hidden pile. She would have had to stick her bum in the bushes to actually lay where I found them.

 

[briefvisit]

'The pile was a ways away from where the female was laying, which means they were rolling the eggs 7 or 8 feet to make the hidden pile. She would have had to stick her bum in the bushes to actually lay where I found them.'

I always seem to be referencing the past -- except it's unique data on this discussion!

So, when Boy Emu and Greedy Emu bred here, we discussed this at length. The 'observers' to the posts were U.S. incubators. 'We' were flailing about, trying to understand the processes whereby a breeding-pair advances from 'commanding' territory to The Boy Emu actually being on eggs.
At this time, the sneaky-little-turds thing was discussed at length. We did arithmetic on how fast eggs gotta be laid to reach the 8-10 that is an average clutch, and get Boy Emu to begin incubating.

I mean, '2 to 3 weeks between each egg' would mean a winter incubation wouldn't be finished till summer!

But the knowledgeable players explained, 'Nah -- they're hiding the eggs! Then they gather them, and the incubation begins.'

SE

 

[briefvisit]

https://imgur.com/3mIPbks

Without a doubt, campers, this is one of the rarest clips of emu behavior in existence. It shows one of the little 'trysts' that a breeding-pair has before the laying begins. I witnessed two of these, both in absurdly exposed spots. Then at a distance the top half of an egg-laying, though binos. Then voila, Boy Emu sitting on the ground -- we didn't know if he was incubating -- which he was -- because we couldn't get near him to check.
A fortnight later, I managed to be in position with the binos when he stood up to turn around, and eggs were visible.
The amount of nest he built was almost nil -- but he did do the hilarious little moving-sticks-about-with-his-beak thing.

(He hatched; he left; we never saw him again.)

SE

 

[5kfarms233]

Have two on their hatch week. But not really sure if they are alive I've had nothing from them, but they got 8 more days before I open them up so hopefully. And my girl has just started laying regularly from laying when ever.

 

[Pyxis]

#6 is alive! The one I posted a video of that I thought was wiggling. Due on the 4th or 5th, so I was checking the power outage batch again and 6 moved a ton. It might be the only one that is alive, but at least there's one!

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

#6 is alive! The one I posted a video of that I thought was wiggling. Due on the 4th or 5th, so I was checking the power outage batch again and 6 moved a ton. It might be the only one that is alive, but at least there's one!

One is definitely better than none!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

#6 is alive! The one I posted a video of that I thought was wiggling. Due on the 4th or 5th, so I was checking the power outage batch again and 6 moved a ton. It might be the only one that is alive, but at least there's one!

Hey pyxis, this is probably an odd question. What do you do with the shells you don't send for testing?