Candling brown eggs? Am I going about it wrong?

[Meat Hunter]

Have a few eggs that have not hatched yet. Its been 36 hours since the first ones came out of their shells. I have tried using a flashlight on them but I can tell a thing. Does the dark shell make a difference? I am using a mini mag light with an LED bulb.

 

[sheila3935]

Are you candling at the aircell end?

 

[zazouse]

Make sure the lights are off it is much easer to see them in the dark.

 

[Meat Hunter]

Ok, got it figured out. I was holding the light behind the egg thinking I could see directly thru it. Instead, I held the light in front again the shell and at an angle. Worked find. 5 eggs are left. 3 of them look as if there is nothing but air inside. No dark spots, just illuminated. The other 2 showed the air bubble but no movement. It also appeared on those two that the area opposite the air bubble was ever so slightly jiggly, like there was liquid inside. Think the eggs are still viable? She originally had 16 eggs and I remember when she tried sitting on them, her body did not cover them entirely. Could it be these are just duds?

 

[Tiss]

My broody is sitting on Black Copper Marans and EE eggs. I'm candling with a 120 lumens tactical flashlight http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=201 in the pitch black chicken coop.

I candled on day 5 and could see the beautiful veining in my EE eggs perfectly and couldn't see a thing in the BCM eggs. So yes, I'd say the dark shells make a big difference!

Good luck, I hope they hatch soon!

 

[Tiss]

Quote:
If they are completely illuminated and look jiggly inside, I'd pitch them before you get a nasty mess.

 

[sheila3935]

yeah I'd say they are duds. If the others hatched 36 hours ago and these are not dark inside with baby then yes waht you describe are duds.

 

[Meat Hunter]

Quote:
Even though they show signs of an air sac? The jiggly part is right up against the airsac and not jiggly throughout.
This page describes perfect what I have.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-candling.html
One egg looks just like the one in the upper left and another one looks like the one to the left of it.

The other 3 look like the first egg on the second row. I'd hate to be wrong on this. Maybe I should keep them a few more days and see what happens.

Should I see some sort of movement inside? Just like one does one a human ultrasound?

 

[Tiss]

I think that's not how "full term" chicks are supposed to look. I just had to throw a bunch out a couple of weeks ago that looked like that. I was brave and broke them open. It was just gooshy nasty watery yolk inside.

I personally would trash them. I suppose you could try the float test just to be extra sure.

 

[Meat Hunter]

Ok, had to google the float test. Brought me back to the site here LOL. Anyhow, did the test. All 5 eggs barely floated. The amount of shell sticking out of the water was between 1/8" and 1/4". Is that what would be considered a low floater?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=383525