Sunken egg

[whtwulf]

I have a clutch where one of the eggs started out looking great, round, firm, blood ring visable...etc.  It has been in a deli cup with moist vermiculite, inside a hovabater.  Temp is holding around 78, humidity is between 75% and 90%, but it has started to sink in on the top.  Has anyone ever hatched a healthy baby from an egg in this contition? it is a fairlly significant dent.  I'd appreciate any feedback.

[Cicada Hollow]

How long has the egg been incubating? It sounds like it's not getting enough humidity. I actually keep my humidity very high, high 90's, and have not had a problem...

[whtwulf]

It has been incubating for two weeks.  Low humidity was my original thought, it was hovering at 70% for a couple of days when the dent occured.  I actually have filled all the water chambers in the hovabater to try to increase the humidity level.  I did this 3-4 days ago, and it still hangs around 80%, occasionally reaching 90%.  Any ideas on how to further increase the humidity level. i.e. plug a couple of vent holes at the top etc.

[Anthony Caponetto]

Sounds like the egg got too dry and is dead.   

If you're just setting an open container inside of a hovabator, your eggs are going to dry out, regardless of how much water you put into the chambers.

I incubate mine just like this (see pic below) on a shelf...no incubator necessary.



Incubating at a consistent 78 degrees (without letting it get cooler at night, etc.) is also going to make for short hatch times, which can lead to small hatchlings.   I'd highly recommend incubating them at room temp (low to mid 70's) and in a sealed container or a container with just a couple small (1/16") holes for ventilation.

[whtwulf]

Good info. thanks.  How do you check for humidity levels with this setup/how often are you adding water to the container, if at all?

[dragonvail]

I had an egg that was about 40% dented from 30days until three days before it hatched at 67days, that one's name is Dent.

I have also hatched two others that dented about the same amount a couple of days after laying and they filled out in a week and hatched just fine.  I incubate my eggs in the same manner as Anthony. I've even had one deflate to the point of forming around the baby itself and had it hatch. 

Kat

[whtwulf]

Yea, hope for the future.  Unless it gets moldy/smelly I'm going to let it ride.

[Anthony Caponetto]

How do you check for humidity levels with this setup/how often are you adding water to the container, if at all?

I've never measured humidity in any incubation container.  The goal is to make it as close to saturation (100%) as you can without getting the eggs wet.  I just go by feel and add water about once every 6 weeks or so.

If you don't feel comfortable judging it by feel, you can go by weight.

Measure out 1 to 1 perlite to water by weight.  Some people like it a little drier, but I see better results with a 1 to 1 ratio.   In that scenario, you can just weigh the container every couple weeks and you'll know whatever weight it's lost was by evaporation...then you just add that much water back into it.  If you happen to add eggs to the container after the fact, just figure in 2 grams per egg.

[whtwulf]

Thanks Anthony, I feel like I just earned the "duhhh" award.  I didn't even think about weight. Teaching high school freshmen must be sucking the scientific processing skills right out of my brain   Great tip, and I will use the weight until I get a few clutches under my belt and become more comfortable with feel.