Anyone tell me what a candled 19 day old egg should look like?

[newchik]

I just had a set of duds, didn't candle before now. So, to save me some grief, I decided to candle the 5 that I have under my other hen. I did not candle them before - I'm still learning.

Anyway, I'm on day 19, and I will do my best to describe my egg appearance. FYI, they ALL looked the same.

They are brown eggs. I candled from the fat end, and could see the air space about 1/4" - 1/2" from the end, and then a clearly demarcated line where it then turned dark. The line was at a slight angle from the fat end. I saw nothing else.

Does this mean there is a chick in there, or that this is a rotten egg?

 

[coopist]

It's kind of hard to say, based on your description, but it sounds like they're fine. You should clearly see the light air cell, and the rest should be very dark where the chick is packed in there.

 

[knynrstylvr222]

That's exactly what mine looked like, and I thought it was dud too, then it pipped today!! Sounds like your fine to me too, but this is only my first hatch. If I were you I would just leave them alone and as long as your counting is right (mine wasn't) you should be right on track for happy hatchy chicks!!

 

[newchik]

http://shilala.homestead.com/candling.html

I have to say that I am now encouraged! My egg sort of looks like the one on the bottom right labeled "More Good Eggs", except that the air space is smaller. (That would make sense, since my chick is older, right?)

I was worried because I couldn't see any of the veins that these sites say you are supposed to, but I guess since mine are older, they won't show?

 

[Mrs MIA]

http://freshpics.blogspot.com/2007/05/stages-of-chick-embryo-development.html

http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/Embryology/embryophotos.shtml

I use both of these... I would say your eggs are ready to pip... sit on your hands, missy!