Re: Cutting Eggs

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Posted by Dan Mulleary on July 02, 2001 at 23:04:18:

In Reply to: Re: Cutting Eggs posted by Walt Deptula on July 01, 2001 at 21:35:41:

One more thing that I should add. OK, this will be very hard to describe correctly in words but I will try. Whenever I cut an egg I do not go into the egg with one side of the cuticle scissors(like cutting a piece of paper). This is how I do it, I find a natural ridge caused by a dimple or crease and I cut the smallest amount of shell possible without entering the egg. If this makes any sense, I can make a slit and not disturb any veins or blood vessels. When I am done I can actually look into the egg through the spider web of blood vessels still in tact. To rephrase, no blade of the scissors ever enters the egg, I am cutting with a side-ways motion. I suppose I could take a couple of digital images of practice cuts on an already hatched egg if you guys don't get it. Super safe method though.

:
: : I pip most of my clutches after the majority of the babies have come out. What I find humorous is that a lot of babies will slit the eggs themselves just barely parallel to where I have slit the eggs. Other times I will find 2-4 long slits parallel to eachother, in this case I will just intersect the long slits so they open up nicely with little effort. One other thing that I don't do is cut circles out of the eggs, I only make one long slit. I can still see inside and the baby can easily stick its head out for air when it's ready.

: :
: : : It seems that my eggs pip over the course of 3+ days, depending on the clutch. I wait until all pipped hatchlings have emerged before cutting into any remaining eggs. I currently have a clutch of Cal Kings that first pipped on 6/26. The 13th of 14 eggs pipped last night, and the hatchling emerged today. I cut the 14th egg this afternoon, and can see movement inside. More often than not, however, I find unpipped eggs contain fully formed (or deformed) dead babies. Perhaps I wait too long? Maybe, but I prefer to give them a shot at pipping on their own.

: : : Ronda

: Dan's method is correct. Proper technique for slitting eggs involves cutting a small cross slit (1/4 inch or so) in the high, top section of an egg. I shoud have noted this for any who don't know when I described my more extreme cuts in the prasina eggs. A pair of cuticle scissors works well for egg slitting. You must cut very slowly and carefully as you do not want to rupture any pertinent main blood vessels. It is really very simple as long as you closely examine the the shell before and as you make any cut. It is also relatively easy to cut larger openings in more extreme situations.

: Walt Deptula
:

Follow Ups:

Re: Cutting Eggs Walt Deptula 07/03/01 (1)
- Interesting idea, I will put that into the memory bank. n/p Dan 07/03/01 (0)
Re: Cutting Eggs Joe Monahan 07/02/01 (0)

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: One more thing that I should add. OK, this will be very hard to describe correctly in words but I will try. Whenever I cut an egg I do not go into the egg with one side of the cuticle scissors(like cutting a piece of paper). This is how I do it, I find a natural ridge caused by a dimple or crease and I cut the smallest amount of shell possible without entering the egg. If this makes any sense, I can make a slit and not disturb any veins or blood vessels. When I am done I can actually look into the egg through the spider web of blood vessels still in tact. To rephrase, no blade of the scissors ever enters the egg, I am cutting with a side-ways motion. I suppose I could take a couple of digital images of practice cuts on an already hatched egg if you guys don't get it. Super safe method though. : : : : : : I pip most of my clutches after the majority of the babies have come out. What I find humorous is that a lot of babies will slit the eggs themselves just barely parallel to where I have slit the eggs. Other times I will find 2-4 long slits parallel to eachother, in this case I will just intersect the long slits so they open up nicely with little effort. One other thing that I don't do is cut circles out of the eggs, I only make one long slit. I can still see inside and the baby can easily stick its head out for air when it's ready. : : : : : : : It seems that my eggs pip over the course of 3+ days, depending on the clutch. I wait until all pipped hatchlings have emerged before cutting into any remaining eggs. I currently have a clutch of Cal Kings that first pipped on 6/26. The 13th of 14 eggs pipped last night, and the hatchling emerged today. I cut the 14th egg this afternoon, and can see movement inside. More often than not, however, I find unpipped eggs contain fully formed (or deformed) dead babies. Perhaps I wait too long? Maybe, but I prefer to give them a shot at pipping on their own. : : : : Ronda : : Dan's method is correct. Proper technique for slitting eggs involves cutting a small cross slit (1/4 inch or so) in the high, top section of an egg. I shoud have noted this for any who don't know when I described my more extreme cuts in the prasina eggs. A pair of cuticle scissors works well for egg slitting. You must cut very slowly and carefully as you do not want to rupture any pertinent main blood vessels. It is really very simple as long as you closely examine the the shell before and as you make any cut. It is also relatively easy to cut larger openings in more extreme situations. : : Walt Deptula : :

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