First timer, candling question!

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charcharbinx

charcharbinx

In the Brooder
Feb 23, 2016
95
7
41
Kentucky, USA
Are there any negative effects of candling your eggs?

I candled the same egg on day 5 and day 7 (I probably shouldn't have, but I'm not going to candle again until day 14. it's so hard to resist the temptation!)

on day 5, I could see the embryo. day 7, more veining, couldn't see embryo? I could see the veins moving. no blood ring, but it's almost like the little booger didn't want to be seen? haha I've tried searching for bad things to look for, but couldn't find anything. egg is a GLW Roo over light sussex hen, so the egg is very light cream colored egg.
 
charcharbinx said:
Are there any negative effects of candling your eggs?

I candled the same egg on day 5 and day 7 (I probably shouldn't have, but I'm not going to candle again until day 14. it's so hard to resist the temptation!)

on day 5, I could see the embryo. day 7, more veining, couldn't see embryo? I could see the veins moving. no blood ring, but it's almost like the little booger didn't want to be seen? haha I've tried searching for bad things to look for, but couldn't find anything. egg is a GLW Roo over light sussex hen, so the egg is very light cream colored egg.
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Hi there! It depends on who you ask.
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If you wash your hands and don't drop the eggs, you're good. I spot check every night by candling and I monitor my air cells to adjust humidity. I was so sick of hearing people argue against candling that my last hatch last year I decided I was going to set 6 eggs aside to candle every single night. The rest would be day 7/14/18 day candles. (I added an extra day in there too.) I had started with 21 of my own eggs. On day 5 I noticed one of the eggs that I wasn't candling had an oily sheen to it so I pulled it out and candled, it was an early quitter so I tossed it. That left me w/20 counting 6 I was candling daily. All 20 made it to lockdown and all 20 hatched out perfectly healthy chicks. Now, I will note that shipped eggs need less handling, as they are more fragile and been stressed much more.

I'm of the hands on philosophy and I believe in experiencing and learning from incubation and hatch, not just setting and standing back.
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Thank you! I'm doing this with 2 of my kids, aged 6 and 4, and they are eager to see the chicks grow. I may continue to candle my light sussex egg for them so they can watch their development. I really hope that embryo is just a hider and not a quitter. I have 23 eggs set and all 23 appear to be viable, various barnyard mixes.
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charcharbinx said:
Thank you! I'm doing this with 2 of my kids, aged 6 and 4, and they are eager to see the chicks grow. I may continue to candle my light sussex egg for them so they can watch their development. I really hope that embryo is just a hider and not a quitter. I have 23 eggs set and all 23 appear to be viable, various barnyard mixes.
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That's awesome. I love my mixes. Our first incubation was done as our homeschool science project for first grade oviprous animal unit. I don't know who was more pysched, me or my son...lol What you are seeing sounds normal, the embryo is just more entered toward the middle of the egg. As long as you see veining and movement, that's good. Good luck on the hatch. Hope you keep us posted.
 
I have to admit to being a candle-holic too - and mine were under broodies. I'd just do a quick check whenever we got them out for a break. I managed to wait until day 3 before caving in and I checked them everyday until day 17. And the babies are absolutely fine. We have another broody bantam on some eggs and I told myself I would wait until at least day 5. Yeah right! Yesterday (day 3) I just couldn't resist a peek. There's an awesome website raising-happy-chickens.com that has a photo for each day of an eggs development up until lockdown and heaps of information. Go to Hatching - Day 1 in the menu. Have fun!
 
Ok, just realised it was more like day 2 and a half! It's very addictive, especially when you see them moving! I have read that you should candle on day 7, day 10, day 14, and just before you put them into lockdown. I'm just a little early!
 
Yes, very addictive and sometimes essential. I wasn't going to look again, but I did. And good thing I did as my grumpy broody had managed to peck at one egg (I think it was a misguided peck intended for me when I had to move her after she'd spilt her water everywhere). Candling the eggs showed me the cracks so, since it was only the shell broken, I have patched with wax. I don't think the egg is developing anyway but it's still very early days. So Miss Cranky Pants has gone back in the coop late last night and been replaced by one of our Old English Game Bantams who was also thankfully broody (and much more gentle). Our other two OEGBs have been fantastic broodies so this little girl should be too.

So sometimes it's a good idea to be slightly obsessive about checking!
 

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