Long Incubation

I have two clutches. They were laid on 4/27 and 4/29. They were incubated at 86-87. As of day 66 there were no pips so I cut the eggs. There is movement in all eggs. One baby is very deformed from what I could see. Today is day 69 and still no one has hatched. There is one egg I could not cut because of another egg on top of it. That egg hasn't pipped. Any advice?

We maternally incubate our eggs at 85F, and last season we saw hatch times ranging from 60 to 79 days. They may not be ready to come out yet.

Thank you for your response. I was starting to get worried. With the eggs that hatched later, do you recall when they pipped?

It seems low, I incubate around 88-89 and find pips around 55-60 days. At those temperatures I'd say you're on track.

Typically they pipped 24-48hrs before leaving the egg.

Firestorm, I was more asking at what day of incubation did they pip with those temps?

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Firestorm, I was more asking at what day of incubation did they pip with those temps?

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Originally Posted by FireStorm

We maternally incubate our eggs at 85F, and last season we saw hatch times ranging from 60 to 79 days. They may not be ready to come out yet.

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Firestorm, I was more asking at what day of incubation did they pip with those temps?

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It varied...we had 28 clutches last season, with hatch times between 60-79 days, and they typically pipped 24-48hrs before leaving the eggs. So, if they hatched at day 79, they would have pipped around day 77 or 78. I don't have the detailed records handy, so I can't be more specific. But based on my experiences with lower incubation temps, I would say your eggs probably just need more time.

I'd say the temps are low too. If I recall correctly most people incubate around 89 internally.

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Originally Posted by Rickys_Reptiles

It seems low, I incubate around 88-89 and find pips around 55-60 days. At those temperatures I'd say you're on track.

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You should incubate at 88.5-89 degrees.

Yes, most people incubate at higher temps, but that doesn't mean that 86 or 87 is necessarily too low. Before switching to maternal incubation, we ran our incubator at 87, and it worked just fine. Not to say there is anything wrong with incubating at 89, either, though.

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Originally Posted by FireStorm

Yes, most people incubate at higher temps, but that doesn't mean that 86 or 87 is necessarily too low. Before switching to maternal incubation, we ran our incubator at 87, and it worked just fine. Not to say there is anything wrong with incubating at 89, either, though.

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When I said low I was talking about compared to what most people incubate at.

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Originally Posted by Coopers Constrictors

You should incubate at 88.5-89 degrees.

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I am not trying to be critical - I think this is an interesting topic for discussion. What makes you say that 88.5-89 is the best temperature? I have not seen any studies done comparing different incubation temperatures, so at this point I'm not really sure we can say what temperature is best.

Thank-you for the replies.I normally incubate them at around 87. I did this in 2011 and even with a week of no power (incubation at 75) they still pipped at day 60 or within a few days.

I'm having a similar long incubation this year as well, and mine were at a steady 88-89 the entire time. I had the first egg pip and hatch on day 60, I cut the eggs on day 64, then another hatched on day 65, three more on day 66, and one so far on day 67. I'm waiting for the last two, (who have been cut & candled and are moving around in the eggs). So far one female, 5 males. Hoping the last two are females. Dunno about you, but I'm going to reevaluate my incubator situation for next season. Regardless, it is a beautiful clutch of normal/cinnamon babies, so long incubation or not I'm satisfied.

S

My results incubating at 86 = complete failure of babies to mature or thrive.
Best to incubate between 88 and 90, for a reason ...