2026 Emu Hatch-Along

[Bertram]

What sound would a healthy developing egg sound like when you tap it?

 

[Slothinc]

What sound would a healthy developing egg sound like when you tap it?

I feel like they make a dull thud sound. If they make a high pitched “tink” sound, then they are not viable. (But not all non viable eggs make that higher sound.)

I had an egg last year that was perfectly normal until one day halfway through incubation when I went to turn, I could tell instantly that it was making a different sound. If you tap it with a butter knife it sounded like I was tapping on a piece of fine china. Weirdest thing. I kept incubating it just in case, but I knew that it was no good!

 

[Slothinc]

The one with issues died today. And it was clear that it would not have survived. Something wasn’t right with it. Saved me from the evil chore of culling! Thank goodness.

The hatch bag sounds like a great idea. With two incubators going, I can at least split the eggs into each one at the bottom. Haven’t had to do it yet.

So far they’re all male! Messing up my ratios here lol 6 chicks so far. Two more hatching Thursday and Friday.

One thing I noticed that maybe someone here can explain. Standard female + Blonde male created a different blonde chick than the other pair. The other pair is White female + Standard male. The chicks from the white female have very pronounced splotches on their backs (all 4 look the same). The standard females blonde chick was more of a silver color and had a much darker back. Unfortunately that’s the one that died. Is it normal for the blondes to vary so much?

That is so interesting! Is this the first time you’ve noticed a difference in color between blonde chicks from different moms? I hope someone here might know more!

 

[Mrsshetland]

Ok so my first attempt with two local eggs was a failure, one started to ooze and other did nothing, both infertile/rotten with no start. I was using a homemade incubator as I’d hoped they’d fit in my small incubator but no such luck! Anyway I’m trying again:
I have acquired a gqf 1200 series incubator and hatcher with the auto turning etc.
I have gone for 10 eggs from 3 different breeders:
2 same parent pair as last duds
2 from a pair 750 miles away
6 from a group of emu (unsure how many different females) around 745 miles away
Royal mail deliveries which may mean less chance but due to my location there isn’t closer options so I figure worth a try!
Incubator is set and stabilising with 9 eggs ready to go in tomorrow, 10th egg has made it to Glasgow and still has a little flight on the mail plane to me hopefully tomorrow, I plan to let it rest for 24hrs before adding with the others.
I plan to weigh the eggs before placing in incubator tomorrow and possibly weekly however I may just leave them be.
If anyone has any advice on how often I should be opening incubator to allow new air in I’d really appreciate that as I’m unsure whether this is a good idea or not!

 

[Mrsshetland]

I’m thinking because the racks just tilt in the 1200 I should maybe rotate them 180 once a day? If anyone could advise I’d really appreciate it, leave them alone or open once a day and rotate 180? Also even if I don’t rotate should I be opening the incubator once or more per day to let fresh air in? Really appreciate any advice!

 

[Slothinc]

I’m thinking because the racks just tilt in the 1200 I should maybe rotate them 180 once a day? If anyone could advise I’d really appreciate it, leave them alone or open once a day and rotate 180? Also even if I don’t rotate should I be opening the incubator once or more per day to let fresh air in? Really appreciate any advice!

I am sorry, I haven’t ever had one of the cabinet incubators so I don’t know. If in doubt, I don’t think it would hurt to open it up maybe morning and night just to let some oxygen in. I know in the early stages (first half of incubation) the oxygen levels arent as important as later on. Hopefully someone else here will know better.