I know everyone wants to candle the eggs. BUT DON'T do it any more than the seventh and fourteen day. Then again when you take the turner out. Doing it any more than that will decrease your hacth rate. I have proven this time and again in the schools that I put bators in. The first group of eggs I will not let them candle at all, with a hatch rate of 85 plus. The next group of eggs I let them candle at day seven, fourteen and eighteen. Doing so drops the hatch rate to as low as 40%. Usually in the 65% range. Why I have no idea for mama hen will take a break every day to eat, drink and poop. It may have something to do with the oils on our hands while we are handling the eggs. The next time you have enough eggs to fill two bators, candle one and not the other. Bet a cold glass of water the uncandled one has a better hatch rate. This is not done with shipped eggs. To much can happen with them for this test to be accurate.
Movement means life. A good sign. And I wish you the best of luck with your hatch.
