Need Help Incubating! EMU EGG!

[FEAREDALPHA]

I recently bought an emu egg and a $65.00 chicken egg incubator to incubate one emu egg and i have it perfectly set to 98.1 degress and 35% humidity and i hand turn the egg 3-2 times a day! I have weighed it and it has already lost 2 grams in the last 24 hours! Im so excited!!!! I really hope that it hatches! I have one jam jar full of water as a heat sink. What advice can any of you give to me?!?! I will appreciate it so much, any advice will help! I also have a laser thermometer and the air thermometer says its 98.1 degress but the egg is reaching to 105 at times? I have a PC fan in the incubator...to help spread heat. Does the Egg have a hotter surface temperature, is this normal? THANKS!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I’ve never incubated Emu but @Pyxis may be abe to help you?

Good luck

 

[Pyxis]

Hi! What kind of incubator are you using? When measuring the temperature, are you using a built in display or a separate thermometer you have calibrated and know to be accurate? When you say the egg itself is reaching 105 degrees, how are you measuring that? That temperature is very concerning, because 104 and over is the temperature at which eggs get too hot and die.

What was the weight of the egg before incubation began?

 

[FEAREDALPHA]

I’ve never incubated Emu but @Pyxis may be abe to help you?

Good luck

THANKS!~~

 

[FEAREDALPHA]

Hi! What kind of incubator are you using? When measuring the temperature, are you using a built in display or a separate thermometer you have calibrated and know to be accurate? When you say the egg itself is reaching 105 degrees, how are you measuring that? That temperature is very concerning, because 104 and over is the temperature at which eggs get too hot and die.

What was the weight of the egg before incubation began?

Ok so im using a hova-bator and its made of Styrofoam...I have two thermometers of different brands that both read the same. The egg weighed 693grams as of 12/15 and has gone down exactly 2 grams everyday so far? If it keeps loosing weight does that mean it is dead>?
Im using a infrared thermometer that you point at surfaces and it tells you the temperature...i think it is used for construction so who knows if its all that accurate?

 

[Pyxis]

Ok so im using a hova-bator and its made of Styrofoam...I have two thermometers of different brands that both read the same. The egg weighed 693grams as of 12/15 and has gone down exactly 2 grams everyday so far? If it keeps loosing weight does that mean it is dead>?
Im using a infrared thermometer that you point at surfaces and it tells you the temperature...i think it is used for construction so who knows if its all that accurate?

I'd trust the two thermometers that are reading the same.

The egg is supposed to lose weight, so that's normal. Your temperature is maybe a little high, and I'd perhaps shoot to keep it around 97.5 degrees instead, which would put you on track for a day 50 hatch. So if you do that, based on a starting weight of 693 grams, you'd want it lose between 2 and 2.1 grams a day, which is exactly what it's been doing, so your humidity is perfect

 

[FEAREDALPHA]

I'd trust the two thermometers that are reading the same.

The egg is supposed to lose weight, so that's normal. Your temperature is maybe a little high, and I'd perhaps shoot to keep it around 97.5 degrees instead, which would put you on track for a day 50 hatch. So if you do that, based on a starting weight of 693 grams, you'd want it lose between 2 and 2.1 grams a day, which is exactly what it's been doing, so your humidity is perfect

The humidity is around 45% which I herd is above average...if I am attentive and careful will it for sure hatch? I am very nervous it will randomly die? What should I do to increase chances of survival????

 

[Pyxis]

The humidity is around 45% which I herd is above average...if I am attentive and careful will it for sure hatch? I am very nervous it will randomly die? What should I do to increase chances of survival????

There are never any guarantees. Last year I had one make it all the way to whistling at me and then it died before it hatched. Temp spikes could always happen and kill the egg. There's always also the chance it was never fertile to begin with. If it was shipped, the shipping may have damaged it too much to develop. Etc etc. But, with proper temperature, turning it 3 to 5 times a day, and monitoring the weight loss, you give it the best chance possible.

 

[FEAREDALPHA]

There are never any guarantees. Last year I had one make it all the way to whistling at me and then it died before it hatched. Temp spikes could always happen and kill the egg. There's always also the chance it was never fertile to begin with. If it was shipped, the shipping may have damaged it too much to develop. Etc etc. But, with proper temperature, turning it 3 to 5 times a day, and monitoring the weight loss, you give it the best chance possible.

Ok thanks! So if your egg is losing weight it could still be un-fertile? That’s a let down! Haha! I hope that mine makes it to a chick! I got mine straight from a field full of about 25 emus and it was laid that day. I started the incubation that day! I have high hopes and will do anything to increase the odds

 

[FEAREDALPHA]

Also out of curiosity are your emus intelligent at all and how do you enjoy them? Could I potentially take my emu on walks or would they not follow me?