Candling/Development Question **Updated** pg 2

Different sized eggs do develop at different times. Like your bantams are gonna hatch when its time to turn the turner off for your standard sized eggs. ALSO, depending on what kind of incubator you have, the eggs nearer to the heat source will be a day or so ahead of the ones further away from the heat source. I always rotate trays when I candle. Now since I cannot see your eggs, I cannot tell you whether to toss or keep, that's up to you. I personally DO NOT toss if the egg is questionable, but I do if it's clear past 5 days.

 

Definitely don't toss them yet. There is a good chance that there are embryos developing in there and you just aren't able to see them clearly. Unless they start to stink, I don't toss any until I take them out of the turner on day 18. That way I know that I haven't made a mistake (though, it's hard to make a mistake on clears - they're pretty obvious!)

I suggest you candle again at 10 days. By then you will probably be able to identify what you are seeing much better.


Good luck to you!!!

 

While in the egg, I think they do develop at different rates. From everything I have heard on here, they advise not throwing them out until at least day 10-14. If they are noticeably clear, I don't think it would hurt to throw out any that have an obvious blood ring, but with me, always being the optimist, I left mine until the very last day, and some even several days after the last one hatched, hoping they may be slower growing than the rest. They weren't, of course, but it would have broken my heart to think I threw out a developing chick that was just slower to develop.
When I candled, it I was the least bit unsure, I put a question mark on the shell in pencil, and if it still looked clear after I candled on day 11or 12, then I threw them out. If it was obvious there was a chick in there, I put a big check mark on that shell so I could keep up with which ones were which. Hope that helps.

FYI: When they start hatching, I was like a kid on Christmas day running to the bator to see what santa left for me.....

 

I have no advice for you, but just wanted to wish you the best of luck! I have a hen sitting on eggs for the 1st time and I am a wreck....

 

I would keep them. I had several with question marks that turned out to be fertile and visible around day 10. Sometimes the pigment of the shell (even if it appears light) makes it hard to tell what's happening. And you might have "shy" embryos.

 

Just wait until you candle on day ten, Chick!!!! The movement is fascinating!!! You can really see the little buggers and they tend to do a lot of squirming!!! Then when you candle later (for me it's usually day 15 or so), they are getting much bigger and you can sometimes make out actual body parts!!!!

 

I hear ya! If I had my way, I'd candle every day, and it wouldn't take 21 days for the little fluffers to develop!!!! I guess I'm not very patient???