will marker pen damage growing embryos?

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
When I use a pencil, I use a soft leaded pencil. I do not try writing on the egg but instead turn the pencil sideways and rub a broad, dark line all the way around the egg. All I am trying to do is to be able to tell at a glance if the egg belongs in that broody's nest or not. Some will get rubbed off, but if you use a soft leaded pencil and make a broad band, it does not disappear.

If I used a hard leaded pencil or tried to write something on there, well, yes, that could get frustrating. That is why I now use Sharpies. Why make life hard when you can make it easier?

 

[Dar]

Quote:
When I use a pencil, I use a soft leaded pencil. I do not try writing on the egg but instead turn the pencil sideways and rub a broad, dark line all the way around the egg. All I am trying to do is to be able to tell at a glance if the egg belongs in that broody's nest or not. Some will get rubbed off, but if you use a soft leaded pencil and make a broad band, it does not disappear.

If I used a hard leaded pencil or tried to write something on there, well, yes, that could get frustrating. That is why I now use Sharpies. Why make life hard when you can make it easier?

****STUPID QUESTION ALERT*****

what the heck is a soft lead pencil?... how is it different than the normal pencil the kids use in school other then having soft lead...

 

[Ridgerunner]

A lot of things are being lost due to technology. However there are some pockets of knowledge remaining.

I'm just joking with you. I'm sure there are a whole lot of people that don't know what this is about. Pencil lead comes in different degrees of hardness. They mix clay with the graphite to make the pencil lead. Different mixes of clay and graphite produce different hardnesses. This chart kind of explains it.

http://www.polykarbon.com/tutorials/materials/pencils.htm

The number 2 pencil that you use at school for those standardized tests is about the hardest I would use to mark eggs. They work pretty well, but if you can get one a grade softer, it will work even better.