Am I candling correctly?

[Katy]

Quote:
I don't turn the egg fat end down....I just shine the light down into the top of it.

 

[chickenlady]

It sounded as if this person is putting the eggs upside down:

I use a terracotta flower pot upside down over a lamp, flaslight or whatever I have that's bright and handy. Candle with the large end to the light.

I am just giving a word of warning if this is the case. The vein structure is easily tangled.​

 

[Tuffoldhen]

You really need to wait til day 7 or 10...you will see veining and the embryo... I use a small mag flashlight in a very dark room...candle from the top (big end) down into the egg, the air sac is at the big end...Don't turn the eggs over or handle too much, you damage the embryos....

 

[speckledhen]

Before 10 days, it's easy to damage the vein structure by handling the eggs too much. 4 days is a bit soon to see anything unless you are an expert candler anyway. I'd wait till 10 days, Stacey.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Oh you are all so wonderful! Thank you so much for the reassurance. I've been soooo worried that I was suppose to see something. It's been a bad day here anyways, and then to not be able to see anything, I thought I was going to cry (which I've been doing most of the day anyways). I won't handle the eggs anymore until day 10. I was very careful, almost tip-toe like when I handled them and I knew better than to turn them upside down!

I figured that if the chick is supposed to grow with the air sac side up, then I better leave it up!

Thanks again everyone!!! I am honored to be a member of this great forum where I can ask questions and have so many wonderful people answer them and give me the reassurance that I need!

 

[SterlingAcres]

You'll see more shining the light into the fat end. I bought a flashlight to candle, but it's not very powerful, so I rigged a box and a worklight and candle threw the sides. Works fantastic.

Good luck!