ok, heres a pretty darn good question IMO

[nevinm]

what is everyone's method of unsticking eggs that are stuck to the bottom of the lay boxes? i just pull them off gently. any one got better ideas?

 

[snowgyre]

I use a Q-tip dipped in warm water to slowly tease the shell off.

 

[JordanAng420]

I do what Marcia does...I bend the plastic around the eggs gently, and after a while they usually pop off.

 

[Halley]

I tip the lay box, and squirt water up at the upper end, and let it drizzle down, this generally helps loosen it up.

 

[nevinm]

thanks guys, the all sound like pretty good ideas...... im supprised theres everyone on the forums isnt chiming in to tell how they do it.

 

[nwheat]

I remember reading at some point about someone using dental floss to separate eggs (I think maybe chondro eggs??). I've never tried it, but I think it sounds like it should work!

 

[Gregg M]

I just dampen some perlite, put it over the eggs, place a cover on and incubate the lay box... I only ever had to do this twice... Both times worked out perfectly...

 

[snowgyre]

Dang Gregg, either you're using small lay boxes or you've got a big incubator! My lay boxes are Rubbermaid shoeboxes, and I couldn't get them to fit into my little hovabator.

 

[Gregg M]

Thats kinda big for a lay box... I use glad containers... They are small (just big enough for the female to get in and do what she needs to do) and my incubators are huge... LOL

 

[shadowx362]

I first wait for the eggs to harden all the way( very important) and by then the stickiness is more "brittle" and with a credit card or piece of paper I slowly wedge it from either the back or the side until it pops off.

 

[fallen_angel]

I just slowly pull them off with the help of a spoon.. usually though, I try to get the eggs as soon as they are laid, before they harden at all. They don't stick so hard to anything at that point, it's only after they harden that makes it tough to get them.

 

[mutley375]

I am by no stretch an expert but I have found that using water, see above posts, works well. You just have to be patient and very gentle. I have had to deal with this issue a couple times and not damaged an egg yet. I also try adding more substrate to those lay boxes to help keep a layer between the eggs and the plastic:main_thumbsup:

 

[nevinm]

ya know jess, its only this year im all of the sudden having these problems. 10 years, only had it a couple times. the past 2 weeks ive had 4 clutches stuck to the bottom of the egg boxes. it was starting to frustrate me. and i am getting them when they are freshly laid cause they are still VERY soft. its odd to me.

 

[Mel&Keith]

I drip a little water around the stuck parts and then gently flex the plastic back and forth until they pop loose.