CandleING eggs questions

[Birchymm]

So I received both eggs and a homemade incubator from a friend after she successfully hatched to Rhode Island Reds. Was in the incubator were five more Rhode Island red eggs one Leghorn egg and now one of my duck eggs. Honestly I don't expect anything the hatch, my friend didn't really know how many days they have been in there only that the two had hatched. So I tried candling the eggs to see if they're worth continuing in the incubator but honestly I don't know what I'm looking for. I looked on YouTube and found a couple videos of eggs that had spider webs and small spots and then that would indicates a fertilized egg. All the eggs that I got are dark throughout with only a small pocket on one end of the egg. I see a lot of different temperatures and humidity throughout the post so I'm not sure where it's supposed to be, my friend had been keeping the homemade incubator at 104 degrees and around 50% humidity. That obviously works for the two that already hatched, but I have no idea if it will continue to work for the other eggs. Can I assume safely that all the eggs because I can't see through them have chicks living in them or are they all dark because there's nothing living in them. Thoughts?

 

[Glock a Doo]

I just joined a few minutes ago and am very curious to hear the answer to your question because I have a hen that's been sitting on 2 eggs for awhile now and I have to candle them later tonight. Good luck!

 

[TurksPoultry]

I was really hopeful that you had live embryos until I read 104* OUCH eggs should be incubated in a still air at 101.5-102.0 and a forced air incubator at 99.5. But that's even with accurate instruments. And that's measured at the egg level, only 1/4 down the side the egg without touching anything it may take the temp of rather than air.

This said, I don't have a specific link but if you do a BYC search of calibrating thermometers and hygrometers there are many people who have dedicated time to writing full directions on All types.

If the eggs were added all on the same day and those eggs hatched then an the others didn't, than I feel like it would be safe to say they're goners. On the other hand if they have been added randomly then it's anybody's guess. When candling the most valuable indication of life is the veins. They aren't visible in a goner. You should candle a few eggs from the fridge, to help u learn how to see into them through the air cell. I like to use the flashlight on my cell phone because it's super bright, and the case gives a lil bit of a seal. Whatever bright lil flashlight u have avalible is good for a duck egg though. You added it, what day is it on? Best way to hatch is by adding all the eggs at once and hatching all at once so that you can appropriately adjust humidity for hatch time and air cells growth.

If your measuring in the area I described and they're at 104 degrees but still alive, you can expect your chicks and duckling to be early if the heat doesn't kill them by hatch.

 

[TurksPoultry]

Not sure what else I could add but I hope this is helpful and I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Glock a Doo]

Thanks, Turks! That's some very good advice for us beginning egg hatchery. Ty, pretty lady!

 

[TurksPoultry]

No problem! Very glad I could help! I reread in the daylight I forgot to include that chicks should take 21 days and ducks can vary around 28 days. Muscovy take longest. What breed of duck do u have? I have some charts for you in going to try and post next.

 

[TurksPoultry]

These are the air cell sizes you would be controling humidity to shoot for.

 

[TurksPoultry]

 

[TurksPoultry]

I usually don't keep any water in the incubator until day 18 which is the day you should also stop turning the chicken eggs so the chicks can get into position to hatch. Control of humidity is Not how deep the water is but how much surface area it has to evaporate from. The numbers aren't as important as the air cell growth and unless you live in a desert I would attempt to let the bator run without added water and watch how the cells grow.

 

[Glock a Doo]

I haven't gotten an incubator yet and my hen has been sitting on her eggs for around 14 days. She's only sitting on 2 eggs and they are small, as her breed is a Sumatra. How long should it take for me to be able to tell if her eggs have chicks inside them or not?