candling Easter eggs

[chickenreyna]

Yes i have an egg candler. Ive tried my phones flashlight too. I saw movement in two out of 8 & the airsack is hard to make out in compared to the white eggs. Some green eggs appear speckly or puzzle locking pattern on outside of egg. Am i only one having a problem candling easter green teal eggs. Any pointers would be helpful

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You're not the only one.
I candle in a dark closet but basically, I don't candle often.
I prefer to weigh eggs to tell me about weight loss during incubation. I think it is more accurate than candling.
An egg should lose about 0.65% weight per day.
I don't remove any eggs that aren't positively clear unless they leak or stink.

 

[junebuggena]

It can be really hard to see anything. You need a really good candling light and fresh batteries. After day 10, the air cells should be pretty visible.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have the same problems. With some of them I'm just happy when I go into lockdown to know whether it is a clear or has any potential. I take the clear out at lockdown just to reduce the clutter in the incubator.

Pointers or hints: Don't get your expectations too high on what you need to see. Broody hens do not candle their eggs, candling won't make any hatch that won't hatch anyway. Candling is mainly for your curiosity. It's fun but it's not life or death.

Candle in as dark a place as you can. Use as bright a light as you can. I don't remember how many lumens my flashlight puts out but fresh batteries can make a lot of difference. One of those candlers can help you see in them better.

Know what you are looking for. I sometimes candle at day 7 just to see if I can see any development. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. No big deal. At lockdown I don't look for movement or anything like that in the darker eggs. If most of it's dark and the air cell is at the top I'm good. Some people try to monitor air cell size, I don't.

Keep things clean, don't introduce bacteria to the incubator and don't remove the bloom on the eggs. Your hands should be clean and dry, certainly not oily.

 

[chickenreyna]

Thanks ok this sounds weird but i have eight eggs left... Had to dispose of several. (Blood rings and that smell of one that had a small dent in it etc) not fo jump off topic and only two of the eggs i have aren't on day 11! one i added on day 3 & 6 and i could see the most in them opposed to the ones that had been incubating longer... Weird maybe its a colored egb thing. My little white bantys i had in past it was like looking at a 3d ultrasound.i think i will weigh them so k accidents or more denting occur. . i joked to my husband who cracks jokes about my hobby addiction that its like searching forvwaldo but harder

 

[chickenreyna]

Thanks ok this sounds weird but i have eight eggs left... Had to dispose of several. (Blood rings and that smell of one that had a small dent in it etc) not fo jump off topic and only two of the eggs i have aren't on day 11! one i added on day 3 & 6 and i could see the most in them opposed to the ones that had been incubating longer... Weird maybe its a colored egb thing. My little white bantys i had in past it was like looking at a 3d ultrasound.i think i will weigh them so k accidents or more denting occur. . i joked to my husband who cracks jokes about my hobby addiction that its like searching forvwaldo but harder

Jokes about my poultry addiction. *

 

[chickenreyna]

It can be really hard to see anything. You need a really good candling light and fresh batteries. After day 10, the air cells should be pretty visible.

Ok, i saw on Youtube tutorial that air sacks are visible at both ends? but pointy smaller end people will draw on to see the development, which I've done but boy i miss my little banty white eggs sooo much. My banty hen is molting & not laying right now, unfortunately It sure is a different world, Candling wise.

 

[junebuggena]

The air sac should be positioned at the fat end of the egg.

 

[Kyanite]

The air sack should only be on one side, the fat rounded one.

As for candling easter Eggers or Marans eggs etc. I do it in a pitch dark room and I don't turn the flashlight or candler on until it's positioned on the egg so it won't mess with my night vision.

 

[chickenreyna]

Thanks guys unfortunately the candle i ordered is mainly suited for banty eggs and i think ill sace myself from breaking any i took their weights today on day twelve and wrote on each egg then right before lockdown i am g going to see the weight difference lol wish me luck