How To Patch An Egg????

[Lesalynn]

Okay, day 14 just finished candling my 8 eggs...all 8 chicks are very much alive and well

....One problem. I have one egg with an very small piece of shell missing on the large end of the egg in the air sac area. The membrane is completely intact, and this particular egg always has very thick membrane. So, is it possible to mend this egg, and hopefully have it hatch?

 

[jbeal9]

I've never done this but I have read threads and seen pics of eggs that have been repaired with wax. I don;t know what sort of wax they use.. Maybe paraffin?

 

[Lesalynn]

Yeah, I have read about that, too. I am worried about it being in the area the chick will most likely start pipping, tho. Do you think the wax will make it too hard for the chick, if that is the case???

 

[jbeal9]

I would guess it could be removed once he starts pipping but that would require opening the incubator which I understand is a big no-no. What are the odds he will pip that exact area? You said it's small.. how small? like a grain of rice or so?

 

[Lesalynn]

It's pretty small, like a small piece of confetti......Do you think maybe I could remove it when I put them on lockdown???? I mean, hopefully the wax would have done it's job by then....

 

[jbeal9]

Okay I just did a search on sealing an egg with wax. One member said she had a pretty bad crack in one of her eggs but the membrane was intact so she left it alone and it hatched fine. I think you'd be okay to leave it or to be sure put a dab of wax on the chip and peel it off on lockdown. But, as I said, I have never done this.. in fact I have just completed building my incubator and have set my first batch. I have relied HEAVILY on the message board (past and present) to get me to this point!

 

[Redcatcher]

A small piece of the sticky part of bandaid will work just fine. It is just porous enough to let it breath without drying out.

 

[funfeatheredfeet]

I think this site and all you people are just so great. I am incubating for the first time right now and this is wonderful how much I have learnt just reading all these threads. So very interesting. Good luck Lesalynn, I hope you will keep us posted how this little egg does. I am going to subscribe, so, maybe you will let us know.
Thanks, Rhonda

 

[SarahIrl]

I did this, but no idea how well it will hatch, I'll let you know

 

[jbeal9]

Good idea on the band aid. I bet that'd work. Would you remove it at lockdown?