Day 46 - The fever to cut has hit!

[muddoc]

Depends at what you temp you cook? I incubate at 87 these days, and therefore, will not cut before 55 days -- most not until 57 days. I know a breeder that cooks at 90-91 and cuts at 48-50 days all the time without problems. I know I would not cut before 52 days regardless of temp. Let your conscience be your guide

Probably the best post I have read in any thread concerning egg cutting. I finally learned this lesson this year. I have for the last three years, dropped the temps in my incubator by .5-.7 degrees per year. Well, this year it caught up with me. I have had two clutches this year that I cut at day 49, and because of the cooler temps, they were not hatching until day 62. As a result, I have lost my first ever hatchling to an umbilicus that twisted around the body and killed the baby, and have already had to tie off 3 umbilicus and leave the animals without yolk. I believe that the extended open egg time has caused uneeded stress on the hatchlings, and been the source of my problems.

As a resolution, I have increased incubator temps back 89 degrees and restrained myself to cutting eggs no earlier than day 51 now. With all of that said, as a rule of thumb, I think cutting eggs within 5-7 days of hatching is ok. I say that because hatching days are going to be determined by incubation temps.

In other words: DON'T DO IT! Practice restraint.