Are my emu eggs any good? I can't tell... HELP!

[isis]

Okay, my emu eggs are due to hatch next week. Problem is... I can't tell if they are any good! I've read all these different methods and my eggs just aren't consistent with that..

I started with 8 eggs, one got cracked and I sealed it but it started to smell so I took it out. When I tapped it it sounded like porcelain.

Of the 7 left, if I tap them with my nails they all sound solid but one, which sounds like porcelain.

ALL eggs only want to lay on one side.

I tried letting them lay out and whistled to them... no one rolled. No one talked back. Really makes me look a little crazy...

Also makes me sad since it looks so cool on youtube...

I let them cool. I think 3-4 of them were warmer on one end then the other... BUT it included the one that sounds like porcelain when I tap it.

I tried to listen to them with a stethoscope... what am I supposed to hear? There wasn't any scratching or chirping. Maybe a faint "heart beat" in a couple, maybe my wishful thinking... what does an emu heartbeat sound like? If I heard anything it was REALLY faint.

Advice? Not sure what is going on :-(

 

[ChucktheChick]

O don't know abything about emus, but sometimes they take awhile. Don't worry!!!! Keep me updated!!!! :$

 

[yinepu]

First.. if you want accurate info on hatching emus.. go to the emu section on this forum. https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/49/ostriches-emu-rheas
99% of the people in the "incubating & hatching eggs" section have never incubated an emu so they hunt for info on the internet much of which is wrong.

In order to help, the emu people in that section and I would need to know what your incubation temperature was and what day of incubation the eggs are on.
Once we have that info we can tell you what should work to let you know if you have any live chicks in there or not because different temperatures will indicate different lengths of incubation.

 

[isis]

Whoops! I started out posting in the emu section... I must have clicked too many buttons XD Can a mod move this over or should I just repost?

They are on days 44 and 41. They've been at 95-97 degrees.

 

[yinepu]

Whoops! I started out posting in the emu section... I must have clicked too many buttons XD Can a mod move this over or should I just repost?

They are on days 44 and 41. They've been at 95-97 degrees.

I believe you would need to flag the thread for a mod to move it

at 95 to 97 you can expect a hatch date anywhere from 50 to 60 days depending on how long the eggs were at either of those temperatures.

so depending on that.. they can start to wiggle anywhere from about day 31 to day 41.. the wiggle at first will be slight.. so you may have to make an "egg antenna" to help you see movement since slight movements can be easily missed

They wouldn't be expected to sound until day 48 at the earliest (if your temps were closer to 97 for the duration) or day 58 (if the temps were closer to 95 for the duration).. tap testing at this point only gives you an idea of what they sound like NOW (I usually start playing with tap testing on day 39 just to get into the habit of doing it).
if an egg sounds "early" chances are it's a rotten egg. i still would not toss it until it starts to smell or it's past hatch date.

Things to begin looking for right now is the level of the egg.. does the pointy end lean downwards?.. or does the egg lay level?

look for "wiggle"

IF the egg stays where you place it regardless of how it's placed.. at this date it would be very suspect for being rotten
If it rolls back to one side then it would tend to indicate a chick in the egg or a large air cell on one side. If a chick is in the egg there is no guarantee it is alive

You can also try the cooling test to see if there is a live chick in the egg

None of these will guarantee a live chick at hatch since so much can still go wrong. But it can help you determine if the egg has a chance or if it's more than likely bad.

The last thing to try is best reserved for an egg that is past it's hatch date.. that would be a float test

other than that I would keep any egg that is not smelling until hatch date is past.. then I would drill an exploratory hole through the air cell end of shell.. however as I said that would be for eggs that are PAST the hatch date. Drilling too soon can result in bacteria entering the shell which can cause the death of the chick

 

[yinepu]

Also in regards to tap testing. A heavy solid piece of metal works better than fingernails. I use a drill bit

You would also need to make sure the egg is sitting on a flat, level, solid surface for testing

 

[isis]

I believe you would need to flag the thread for a mod to move it

at 95 to 97 you can expect a hatch date anywhere from 50 to 60 days depending on how long the eggs were at either of those temperatures.

so depending on that.. they can start to wiggle anywhere from about day 31 to day 41.. the wiggle at first will be slight.. so you may have to make an "egg antenna" to help you see movement since slight movements can be easily missed

They wouldn't be expected to sound until day 48 at the earliest (if your temps were closer to 97 for the duration) or day 58 (if the temps were closer to 95 for the duration).. tap testing at this point only gives you an idea of what they sound like NOW (I usually start playing with tap testing on day 39 just to get into the habit of doing it).
if an egg sounds "early" chances are it's a rotten egg. i still would not toss it until it starts to smell or it's past hatch date.

Things to begin looking for right now is the level of the egg.. does the pointy end lean downwards?.. or does the egg lay level?

look for "wiggle"

IF the egg stays where you place it regardless of how it's placed.. at this date it would be very suspect for being rotten
If it rolls back to one side then it would tend to indicate a chick in the egg or a large air cell on one side. If a chick is in the egg there is no guarantee it is alive

You can also try the cooling test to see if there is a live chick in the egg

None of these will guarantee a live chick at hatch since so much can still go wrong. But it can help you determine if the egg has a chance or if it's more than likely bad.

The last thing to try is best reserved for an egg that is past it's hatch date.. that would be a float test

other than that I would keep any egg that is not smelling until hatch date is past.. then I would drill an exploratory hole through the air cell end of shell.. however as I said that would be for eggs that are PAST the hatch date. Drilling too soon can result in bacteria entering the shell which can cause the death of the chick

Oh wow I was expecting 50 days! I don't feel so bad now, thank you

Which is the right sound? The thud or the porcelain? (I thought it was the thud at this point) And then that switches days before hatching, right? I read that somewhere...

All 7 eggs are leaning.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:

lol.. check the link(s) in my signature

but in the beginning it should be the dull "thunk" sound.. once the egg sounds you get the higher pitch "tink" sound


have you been weighing the eggs?

ok.. when they go from leaning to level again (they start out level.. then lean) it means either the egg is rotten and the inner membrane has pulled from the shell.. OR the chick has pipped the inner membrane and is now filling the entire egg
so keep an eye on the leaning. Once the chick has pipped the inner membrane the wiggle can not be mistaken (though with any luck you will have seen it before that point)

about wiggling:
remember chicks do sleep.. so they will not wiggle every time you go to check. It's not a performing seal.. so don't try to force it to wiggle so family and friends can watch. You would be better off videotaping it if you want to show it to others.

 

[yinepu]

Oh.. you also mentioned that none of them have talked back.. they won't until they pip the inner membrane...

 

[isis]

Oh.. you also mentioned that none of them have talked back.. they won't until they pip the inner membrane...

I can't tell you how stupid excited I am! Thank you so much for your help. I guess it was your 2012 hatch-a-long I got some great info on- just now seeming your 2013 one!

I weighed the eggs initially, but haven't kept weighing them... the humidity has consistently been in the 20s.

Once they pip the inner membrane, how long until I can expect them to hatch if they are going to?

Do you think it's important for the eggs to be able to freely roll to hatch? I ask because mine are in a styrofoam container, and don't have much for roll space, just a little wiggle room.