Auto turning Emu eggs, do you also hand turn?

[kelseygirl707]

Hey guys, I just put my Emu eggs into lockdown, so it's too late for me, but I'm curious anyway...

I read this morning that if you have an auto turner for your emu eggs, you still need to hand turn them 3 times a day to keep the yolk sac from sticking. I just had them in My GQF Cabinet that is set up for Emu eggs, and I never fully rotated them, just let the turner go. Anybody else just let the auto turner do the work? and if so, how did it work out?

I'm getting nervous....

 

[flyweed]

I've read from a number of successful Emu farmers that the key to a higher, more successful hatch was to hand turn the eggs and not rely on the auto turn units. They said they went from a 70% hatch rate, to an 88% hatch rate when they went to hand turning. I had 3 Emu eggs that just hatched out this past weekend...out of 3 of them, I had 2 hatch..and I only used the autoturner in my 1202 sportsman.

Not sure if this info helps you or not, but thought I'd post my experience so far.

Dan

 

[kelseygirl707]

Hmm, Well I guess we will see what happens, I just let them turn in my 1266, so hopefully chicks turn out ok. Last night 2 eggs had great movement, and one was kinda slow, but I have hope for all of them still.

 

[foulman007]

hand turned mine got a 100 % hatch 8 of 8 but mine were all under 7 days old at the time of incubation start and not shipped.
but for what i know you cannot over turn them.I turned 3 to 5 times a day 180 deg.
good luck on your hatch

 

[kelseygirl707]

Quote:
Thanks Foulman, mine were not shipped, don't know how old they were, but saw each egg rock, so I know they have live chicks in them... Just hope they hatch, DH and I are soo excited, we would probably cry if they didn't.

 

[foulman007]

rocking is good.
I stopped turning on day 48
they will pip internaly anywhere from day 49-52 . there will be a distinct diffrence when you tap the shell over the airspace once this happens. from a thud to a plink. the chick may or may not whistle at you when yoou talk or scratch the shell.some of mine i could hear across the room some were very shy. you will hear a scratching inside and the shell should crack external pip within 24-48 hours. once the external pip happens it could take from 2 to 8 or more hours to get out.
I would talk and tap and whistle at mine as often as I could just to keep them interested.
best advise i can give you is dont help them out let them fight for it. once they are dry transfer them to the brooder they can go 5 day before they need to eat but I get mine pecking and drinking around day 3.
again good luck.
Oh btw I am still hand turning 16 more due march 30th and april 20th ish.....

 

[kelseygirl707]

Quote:
Wow, thanks for all the info Foulman! You should have a sticky at the top of the Emu section!

I was supposed to put mine in the hatcher yesterday, but I was out of town, then had to stablize it last night and this morning, so they went in the hatcher early this morning, but stopped turning last night. So with Emu it's ok to open the incubator in the last days? I'm assuming so since you said to tap on the eggs.

 

[foulman007]

I believe so they need the encouragement
I also kept the humidity around 20 % up to hatch and around 25% once they pipped and the temp at 96.5 deg

please remember this is all my opinion and it has worked for me ..your miliage may vary.
now if I get all 24 of my eggs to hatch............................

 

[kelseygirl707]

Was having a one sided conversation with my eggs, when one of them decided to join the conversation!!! It's going to be soo hard to go to work tomorrow!

 

[foulman007]

awesome