Methods for checking Emu eggs Pre-Hatch (please post methods)

[ExoticRescue]

Maybe I'm hearing things? Because I'm so wanting to hear something? They sounded under water when they did it, bubbly like. Haven't been able to duplicate it. My first three eggs are on day 53 today so I'm going insane with impatience! Lol

 

[mich9510]

Maybe I'm hearing things? Because I'm so wanting to hear something? They sounded under water when they did it, bubbly like. Haven't been able to duplicate it. My first three eggs are on day 53 today so I'm going insane with impatience! Lol

If you are on day 53 you should have seen some rocking... dont try now though because you should be in lockdown. I hope you get a good hatch. Keep us posted and remember pictures!

 

[Erka97]

I read somewhere lockdown isn't really a thing for emus, I think it was a series of articles on here about someone who hatched a bunch of eggs over like three years. Apparently humidity isn't as important with them as it is for other birds, however air flow is the most important thing and talking to the eggs to encourage them to hatch is also useful.

Honestly lockdown is a foreign concept to me anyway and I haven't killed anything by doing that yet, and besides the birds themselves can't very well seal their chicks in a box for hatch time.

Anyway when I hear mine it's a sort of swishing or bumping sound, they're day 27 now. I'd assume older eggs -like day 53- would be easier to hear if they even still have room to move around in there. You might even start getting proper whistling from them by now.

 

[briefvisit]

Maybe I'm hearing things? Because I'm so wanting to hear something? They sounded under water when they did it, bubbly like. Haven't been able to duplicate it. My first three eggs are on day 53 today so I'm going insane with impatience!

Boy Emu was exactly the opposite. His eyelids would close, and his head would sink back to rest on his back. When he opened his eyes, you could hear him thinking: 'Asleep? Me? Nooooo -- just resting my eyes!'

 

[Erka97]

Now I'm worried because my eggs sound more like a click than a thud when I tap on them -without the stethoscope that is, it's more thud listening through the egg if that makes sense- and apparently that's bad unless it's hatch day. I don't know, these eggs are definitely going to drive me insane. One side is only sometimes warmer, and I'm still not sure about my swishing, whether I'm crazy or it's really them.
They do seem to settle on one side, though; if I put them somewhere flat they roll and then stop.
I've now banned myself from touching them when it's not turning time, as I'm worried I'll kill them by testing them too much otherwise.

 

[ExoticRescue]

So, to verify, I asked around a bit and the general consensus with hatching emus is if you are doing it in a cabinet incubator, you can lock down. However, if using a styrofoam incubator, you do not lock down. Opening the incubator for 15 second intervals during the day allows for much needed oxygen exchange in the air.

I have 3 eggs on day 56 and am going insane. I have every sign of viability but the eggs haven't moved much at all during the entire incubation. I'm considering doing the float test at this point. 2 of the eggs definitely sound china like when tapping today though, so maybe I will wait. Thoughts?

 

[Erka97]

I would wait until tomorrow, then if you have no signs of hatching then try listening to them with a stethoscope while talking to them. I've heard they'll whistle back and sometimes you can hear them breathing if they've pipped internally. If you don't hear anything then do the water test.

 

[ExoticRescue]

2 eggs on Day 45 and 3 eggs on day 58. I'm gonna loose it. Lol

I did feel movement in a 45 day egg today so I am trying to stay hopeful for the others!
And I talked to 2 experienced emu hatchers and they told me to be patient. One had no movement, no sounds and had a baby pop out yesterday and one today on days 60 and 61.

I have a camera on the eggs and it's live if anyone wants to check it out, come live this anxiety with me lol
If I leave the house I run it on my phone so I can see the eggs. Right now the microphone is turned off, but I'll turn it on if they start making any noise as long as it's not picking up everything in the house. Anyway, emu egg watch cam is at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/piggy-cam1


OH @mich9510
I have been so consumed with these eggs that I didn't realize who you were! I sent you a PM because I read about Daryl and it caught my attention because my eggs also came wrapped in diapers from New Mexico! So I must've bought some Daryl sibling eggs! Anyway, just wanted to tell you cause I thought it was cute. Loved reading about Daryl!

 

[Erka97]

I'll be watching, to hopefully see what I should expect from my eggs. Mine are only on day 32 and I'm already going crazy worrying about them; it must be even worse on day 58!

 

[Erka97]

Hey, if you haven't got any wiggles still, it might be good to try the stethoscope again. I haven't got any yet that I can see, but with the stethoscope if I use the diaphragm side -either with the egg on its side on top of it or in a "nest" of a sweater to hold it up on the stethoscope end on the pointed end of the egg I can hear periodic thumping sounds, similar to if I were to tap on the egg -or the stethoscope end itself but quieter- but from the inside of the egg. Hopefully this means my emus are getting ready to do some wiggling. My temperatures have run low more often than they've run high, so I guess they might be a bit behind.
Temperature might tell you, too. I have a thermometer "gun" used for industrial purposes and reptiles, and lately the middle and pointed ends of my eggs have been several degrees warmer than the air cell end when I test them after they've been out for wiggle and listen testing, though I never let them get below about 89 degrees in the areas where chicks might be so I'm not sure if that's really that significant a difference, or it's just because egg fluids cool slower than air anyway.
I've decided to limit myself to only testing them at the midnight turning so as to not bother them so much, and besides my house is noisy with people around and awake otherwise.