I am new. I asked this question somewhere else yesterday, but I can't find it now. When the eggs are 12 days, will the dark part inside roll when you turn the egg or will it remail stationary? I have some of each. Yesterday was the first time I read about exploding eggs, so I would like to get bad ones out if possible! My eggs are brown and I think I saw the veins...or was I imagining things? I definitely see the dark spot. and the air spot. and no cracks. and only one blood circle. But what about this rolling or not rolling? Or was the little thing moving on its own? I'd go check again, but then I read on here that you'd better stop touching them. Oh this learning curve is frustrating.
Hold the egg still or turn very very slowly when candling and you should see the embryo kicking around.
I turn quickly 1/2 turn and the embryo will float from the bottom to the top and give you a better view!! You'll see great movement between day 12-18...but then they get dark and movement is harder to see!! Have fun!!
Just make sure your hands are clean before you handle the eggs and you will be fine. I would not turn the egg too quickly. I find if I slowly turn them till I see the black dot and then hold egg very still it works better. It should move if it is alive. As far as a rotton egg exploding you will be able to smell it before it does that. If the eggs do not smell leave them and check again in a day or two. On my first hatch with brown eggs I could not see anything till around day 10. This time I know what I am looking for and could tell on all eggs by day 7. Good luck!
Thanks all! I candled all of them today, and kept 4, that I was almost positive were bad, out. I wrote on all the others what I thought....in pencil. A few goods, a bunch of maybes and probably bads. I cracked those 4 open and I was right. I saw the blood ring on 3 of them....and the 4th just had a little blob that slid around when I turned the egg....like a marble would. Looks like it stopped growing right away. But I am not sure I saw any of them jumping in the other eggs. After you stare at them for a while you start feeling like you must be hallucenating! So if they moved, it was very faintly. How sad is that? Hopefully I'll get at least one little tiny guy.
I actually wear disposable gloves when I touch my eggs.. I agree with an earlier post of not moving them around much. I hold an led flashlight in one hand with my thumb and finger around the light, so the flashlight doesn't touch the egg..Then move that hand to varying spots on the egg..While keeping the egg still in my other hand. And yes..About the first 5 or so times of seeing movement..I didn't understand what I was seeing, so I couldn't be sure
I have never gotten the hang of candling well. I can see the "spider," but after that I have a hard time seeing anything. I can tell if the egg is "dark" when it gets closer to hatch time, but that is about it. These are some great tips that I will definitely try. Thanks for sharing.
