Rhea Incubation Temp

[hmlongino]

Hi!
I’ve hatched out emus, but I’m new to rhea. At what temperature do you like to set your rhea eggs?

*I know the range that you can find on Google… I’m looking for rhea breeder recommendations based on what they do.

Thanks!

 

[shamorunner]

This is only my first breeding season. I set my incubators at 97.6-98.5. I don't know the exact humidity sadly, once they're hatching, I make it as humid as I can like I would with chicken eggs

I've been working with Hopkin's Livestock to get started. He sets his in the 98.5-99.5 range. From his website he sets them at 99.5. He started 35y ago and is still going, although most of his eggs are incubated by the males nowadays and the incubators are more for storing eggs if someone isn't able to pickup soon and is in need of more eggs

Here is his website, go to the rhea tab and then the rhea chick tab for incubator temps/humidity
http://hopkinslivestock.com/

 

[shamorunner]

Use this thread as a guide on how rhea eggs look when candled.

Don't get too anxious and try assisted hatching to early. Some, albeit anecdotal, turn up until the day they hatch, others stop turning at 35 days, if temps and humidity is stable where it need to be then it'll be quite consistent. I had incubator issues one the major batch with temps being between 92-95°F the entire time and 9-11 of the initial 14 eggs are still fully intact with those that didn't make it were infertile

If you have questions, continue to ask here as well as a couple of the Facebook groups. I also have a dedicated rhea info thread here

 

[hmlongino]

Use this thread as a guide on how rhea eggs look when candled.

Don't get too anxious and try assisted hatching to early. Some, albeit anecdotal, turn up until the day they hatch, others stop turning at 35 days, if temps and humidity is stable where it need to be then it'll be quite consistent. I had incubator issues one the major batch with temps being between 92-95°F the entire time and 9-11 of the initial 14 eggs are still fully intact with those that didn't make it were infertile

If you have questions, continue to ask here as well as a couple of the Facebook groups. I also have a dedicated rhea info thread here

Thank you for this!
I just realized that my thermometer wasn’t calibrated correctly and I’m pretty sure the first week of these eggs ran at more like 9. I have it fixed now at 97.5, but I imagine if I get any chicks, the hatch will be a bit delayed.

These were shipped (I hate setting shipped eggs, but I couldn’t find any locally. ). Air cells were a bit wobbly, so I let them rest vertically for a day and then set them for the first two days without rotating. Cells seem more stable now. I am now turning them, but kept them auto-turning while sitting vertically rather than laying them down. I think that’s the best chance I can give them.

Currently on day 6.