An egg is a closed system, so it will get lighter as it incubates.....

[kubotafoot]

Got that, but here is my dilemma. I am hatching Welsummer eggs, and have never done that before. For those of you who know, the eggs are VERY dark, and candling is impossible, so the question begs.....How do I know if the egg is viable verses a dud? Someone wrote and said to weigh the egg, but that is doing me no good, as ALL eggs get lighter in incubation, viable or dud. Any and all answers to this problem for me is greatly appreciated. All eggs losing weight, but that is no help in knowing if there is a chick or it's about to blow up.

 

[MarkJr]

Wondering to myself if a laser in a dark room would light up the inside enough to have it show it’s secrets on the outside.....

Im not sure about your dilemma. My dominant coppers (copper marans) eggs are pretty dark too. I was able to see with a streamlight led flashlight with a medicine bottle black taped to the end so I didn’t fight light leakage. Bottom of medicine bottle was cut out of course. I get zero leakage, all light shines through egg.

 

[kubotafoot]

Wondering to myself if a laser in a dark room would light up the inside enough to have it show it’s secrets on the outside.....

Im not sure about your dilemma. My dominant coppers (copper marans) eggs are pretty dark too. I was able to see with a streamlight led flashlight with a medicine bottle black taped to the end so I didn’t fight light leakage. Bottom of medicine bottle was cut out of course. I get zero leakage, all light shines through egg.

So you're saying you use a streamlight led flashlight and then you cut a small plastic prescription bottle down and use a black tape to attach it to the light and then hold the egg up to the device? Hmmmm. Interesting, if I "see" what you're saying, and the Maran eggs showed well? If I get the vision right, I think you might be on to something! Don't have that type of light, but am going to look for one. Might you have a picture of the light? Is it the little pocket sized type? Thanks for your hints.

 

[MarkJr]

 

[MarkJr]

Darkest egg I had in refrigerator. Zero light leakage if you make sure to roll over the end with black tape. It was the most powerful flashlight I had, but it works well. First time I did it, I cut bottom off and didn’t have a straight cut. Second time I cut the flat bottom out and left the nice straight bottom intact. Makes it much easier to seal up against egg.

 

[MarkJr]

While little veins may not show, I’m sure you can see the eye and beak when it develops. I could easily see a blood ring and dead egg after my bator hit 120 for a few hours on much darker shells.

 

[kubotafoot]

You are just the best! Thanks from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful pictures and directions. This is going to be a keeper for us here.
PS...Nice dog!

 

[Kiki]

Get a brighter light and a darker room.
You will, like @MarkJr above shows, be able to tell if an egg is developing before it explodes.

 

[MarkJr]

You are just the best! Thanks from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful pictures and directions. This is going to be a keeper for us here.
PS...Nice dog!

She’s my other spoiled monster. My week old chicks decided the dog biscuit I gave her should be theirs. She sat there bewildered as they swarmed her eating all the bits they could. Broody was setting 6” off the end of her paws looking on like ‘What you gonna do about it.’

She’s the best dog I’ve ever had. Believe it or not, she’s my bird dog. Flushes and fetches like nobodies business. Leaves the yard birds alone.

 

[kubotafoot]

She’s my other spoiled monster. My week old chicks decided the dog biscuit I gave her should be theirs. She sat there bewildered as they swarmed her eating all the bits they could. Broody was setting 6” off the end of her paws looking on like ‘What you gonna do about it.’

She’s the best dog I’ve ever had. Believe it or not, she’s my bird dog. Flushes and fetches like nobodies business. Leaves the yard birds alone.

Consistency in dog training is key, and it looks like you've cornered the market on that. Our family raised dogs for the blind for many years and if there was ONE think that became ingrained in my hear after my first mistake: "Give a dog leeway once and you have to retrain 10 (yes they said ten) times to overcome that one give in." We learned that early on in life. Works with just about any living creature if you persevere. Thank you again for the ideas and photos. Makes it all come clear to a sometimes confused, old goat!