MARCH Hatch-A-Long 2015: Please Read the First Post to JOIN the H-A-L

[313759]

I use a small LED flashlight, you can take them straight from the incubator, I did this and nothing bad happened to them. Depending how dark the shell is you should see veins spreading across the shell

 

[bekkanblue]

I just have Mini Ecos right now, with 8 and 10 eggs packed in them. When I candle I just have the top off the whole time, and I candle a lot from curiousity. I'm also hand turning them so have the tops off for that too a few times a day. Not much different than the cooling periods I have programmed, just not as long. Even hens get off the nest occasionally.

That said, a bigger incubator might be a whole nuther story but I tend not to stress too much.

Good luck! Hope things go smoothly!

 

[mymilliefleur]

The incubator stabilized at around 95F this evening. I turned it up slightly, to get it up to temperature. I plan to put the eggs in Monday morning. that will give me another day to save up eggs, and make sure the incubator is fully stabilized.

 

[jbkirk]

Hey guys! I wanted see if I could get anyone to share some candling tips with me. Tonight I am going to candle my first incubator full of eggs! Do you all just take ten or so out at a time and put the lid back on, or candle each one straight from the turner. Since it's my first time I was thinking if I do it straight from the turner with each egg, I would probably have the lid off too long...... but then also if I remove ten or so out into a carton, and then back into the turner I am handling them a lot more. Or do some of you candle say...20 one night and 20 the next? Thanks for all of your responses! Everyone has been so helpful so far, and I really do appreciate it! Wish me luck!

Yes, I know I tend to over think things

I candle all of the eggs at once.
Tip 1. If you just take the tray out it can be a lot easier and doesn't hurt the eggs.
Tip 2. (Say your candling on the floor)If you put a blanket over your head and the egg it can make a dark room even darker.

 

[Lamancha]

I just lift the lid, grab them out one at a time into an egg carton, then close the incubator. I candle/weigh/mark as needed, then one by one they go back into the bator. I wouldn't just stand there with the lid off. You would loose a lot of heat that way. If they are shipped eggs be very gentle, if not, you can man-handle the heck out of them and they will be fine. Haha

My Little Giants are getting kinda crowded. 8 eggs are going into lockdown tonight. Yeah

 

[313759]

Lol egg traffic

 

[Lamancha]

Lol egg traffic

Haha, So true. I like the sound of that.

 

[313759]

Yeah

 

[kbarnes]

Candled for day 14 lost one CCL but all the rest are doing great. So far its a 15/24 rate now to let them cook until Wednesday night for lockdown. I am pretty proud of this hatch for being my first.

 

[poult]