During
the incubation of any egg (whether it be artificial or parent) if
we get a chance to have a peek for fertility…. We will. The
"Candle" method has been a tried and tested method to
see those initial signs of life at around a week of incubation,
and there will always be a use for candling to show vein growth
etc. However, it is quite possible that in some cases when trying
to get a clear picture of embryonic development that the breeder
overstays his or her inspection time causing heat damage to the
embryo. Thick or dark colored eggshells can also be very difficult
or even impossible to candle. When all eggs reach the mid to latter
stages in development a well-tried method for checking for egg viability
is to float the egg in warm water, and wait to see if it moves!
However, recent research has shown that this method maybe detrimental
to the chick, as the egg may become saturated with water. Susceptibility
to harmful bacteria, which are sucked in through the pores of the
shell and pass through the membrane may also cause problems. How
many times have we all thought "is it still alive?" Indeed
there have been many bird and reptile breeders who have mistakenly
thought that "it must be dead, because it should have hatched
yesterday." So the egg is opened, only to find the chick was
still alive and is now well and truly dead. Disaster!
During the last 4 years we have been working at taking the guesswork
out of incubation. After an enormous amount of work and research
we are pleased to announce the arrival of Buddy, the first digital
egg monitor in the world. Using infrared transmitters and sensors
Buddy is capable of amplifying the cardiovascular signal of an embryo
with in the egg by as much as 20,000 times. This allows you to detect
the actual heartbeat of the embryo as early as 5 days after incubation
has started. Simply place the egg on the sensor pad at the bottom
of the egg compartment, close the lid and press the "on"
button. You will instantly be given information from the onboard
screen via a flashing heart, Pulse readout, and three-digit heart
rate. (You will be amazed how rapid a chick's heart beats)! The
monitor will also indicate movement of the chick with in the egg.
When the chick settles the readout reverts back to heart rate. If
the chick is not alive Buddy will let you know, showing a black
still heart, a flat Pulse line and zero heart rate readout. Buddy
is mains or battery operated so can be taken out to your aviary
to check any egg, or if your work is in the field of conservation,
you can take Buddy anywhere you go, even up the tallest of the Rain-forest
trees or the most remote island! You will wonder how you ever got
by in the past without your Buddy!!
Step I
Simply open the lid of your buddy
and gently place the egg side ways onto the sensor pad and close
the lid. . .
Step II
Once the lid is closed press the
"Red" button on your Buddy. After a few seconds the onboard
screen will display the heart rate inside the egg.
It really is that easy.
When the display shows a flashing
heart, this indicates the detection of a heart beat. The three digit
number represents the pulse rate of the chick.
During
the incubation of any egg (whether it be artificial or parent) if
we get a chance to have a peek for fertility…. We will. The
"Candle" method has been a tried and tested method to
see those initial signs of life at around a week of incubation,
and there will always be a use for candling to show vein growth
etc. However, it is quite possible that in some cases when trying
to get a clear picture of embryonic development that the breeder
overstays his or her inspection time causing heat damage to the
embryo. Thick or dark colored eggshells can also be very difficult
or even impossible to candle. When all eggs reach the mid to latter
stages in development a well-tried method for checking for egg viability
is to float the egg in warm water, and wait to see if it moves!
However, recent research has shown that this method maybe detrimental
to the chick, as the egg may become saturated with water. Susceptibility
to harmful bacteria, which are sucked in through the pores of the
shell and pass through the membrane may also cause problems. How
many times have we all thought "is it still alive?" Indeed
there have been many bird and reptile breeders who have mistakenly
thought that "it must be dead, because it should have hatched
yesterday." So the egg is opened, only to find the chick was
still alive and is now well and truly dead. Disaster!
