Has anyone tried the open-egg hatch method before? (HELP)

[ChickensAreGoat]

Mine are all pretty tiny, maybe 1/4”.
3 of the eggs are bantam eggs & the bigger egg is a Brahma/silkie cross. Mine don’t have the top membrane on so they might look clearer inside if yours has it on. Idk if that made any sense. I did also cut off the clear cover for photos. I did it last time & they still hatched. I just do it quickly & replace it w a new cover when I’m done.

Makes perfect sense lol! Ok, mine is wayyy less clear lol, thanks!

 

[saracarver3]

So just curious if the reason for doing this is just to watch the process? I’ve never heard of this.

 

[HomesteadMemmaw]

Hi everyone! Just so you know, this is my first time incubating eggs EVER, and just wondering if anyone has any tips! They have been in the incubator 7 days, I’m trying the open-egg method with a few of the eggs, and I can see a heartbeat in one (you can see a little red shape in the brown one.) the brown ones are heritage welsummers, the smaller blue ones are alchemist blues, and the olive colored ones are (yep you guessed it!) Olive Eggers! Thanks!

I haven't attempted incubation yet. But I'm commenting so that I can find this post again and see how it went. Never heard of the open egg method. Good luck

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I was just about to ask that

Why would you want to mess with nature, leave it alone

 

[Squawkers]

Why would you want to mess with nature, leave it alone

Because in “nature” the hen turns it. Putting an egg in an incubator is just about one of the most unnatural things you can do. Eggs have to be turned.

 

[Squawkers]

Well… putting eggs in an incubator isn’t one of the most unnatural things you could do but you get my point

 

[MGG]

It's long, but I tried this multiple times a few years ago and learned a lot. Here is my entire thread, it would probably be helpful to read through it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-read-whole-thread-before-attempting.1371380/

Best of luck, I've never seen where anyone was actually successful without a lab setting. It's very hard to keep everything sterile.

 

[Susan Skylark]

There is sterile (no microbial life of any sort) and then there is very clean. Trying to maintain sterility for 3 weeks is impossible save in certain bio secure labs. Eggs have amazing defense mechanisms, the shell is only the first layer. If you can keep it clean, it has a decent chance. The biggest issues is oxygen as the embryo matures, if it was a plastic cup you’d need supplemental O2 but maybe the intact shell negates that need here? I really want to try this now but not sure I can open a quail egg without crushing it! Will watch with interest! And as for the why, because it is awesome and can teach you a lot about embryonic development!

 

[ChickensAreGoat]

So just curious if the reason for doing this is just to watch the process? I’ve never heard of this.

Yes, saw it on YouTube and decided to try it! I had never seen anything like it before either!

 

[ChickensAreGoat]

I haven't attempted incubation yet. But I'm commenting so that I can find this post again and see how it went. Never heard of the open egg method. Good luck

Okay, thanks!