How to Tell If an Emu Egg Is Fertile?

Hatching emu eggs is a potentially profitable business. According to Dr. Joan S. Jefferey, a veterinarian at Texas A&M extension, a single egg or chick can be sold for $1,000 to $1,500, although they are usually not sold. Chicken and other poultry eggs can be candled or lit with a very bright light in a dark room to determine fertility. Emu eggs are dark green in color which makes traditional candling unfeasible. Infrared video machines look inside an emu egg to establish viability. These machines are very expensive compared to simple methods that help you tell if an emu egg is fertile.

Things You'll Need

  • Incubator
  • Smooth table surface
  • Pencil size metal rod
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Instructions

  1. Feel Method

    • 1

      Wait two weeks into incubation.

    • 2

      Remove the egg from the incubator.

    • 3

      Cool egg for two minutes. Feel the small end of the egg. A fertile egg will remain warm at the small end. Infertile eggs cool down faster and will be cool all over.

    Tapping Method

    • 4

      Remove egg from incubator after 30 to 35 days.

    • 5

      Lay egg on a smooth table surface.

    • 6

      Tap the egg with the metal rod. You may need to tap up to three times. Growing emu embryos will move around inside the egg when you tap. Infertile eggs will have a dull or hollow sound with no movement.