Candling egg

[BlueEyes12977]

I'm new to hatching my own chicks and I candled my eggs for the first time. I held the egg like it was in the incubator and shined the light from the bottom and on top there looks like a shadow or dark mass But no veins that I can see since they are brown eggs. Does this mean they're fertile or should I wait a few more days to candle again. Advice greatly appreciated.

 

[beetandsteet]

If there is a dark mass in the egg, the egg is fertile. An egg that allows light to shine through it evenly is a "clear", infertile. Here's a link showing the progression of the embryo https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'm new to hatching my own chicks and I candled my eggs for the first time. I held the egg like it was in the incubator and shined the light from the bottom and on top there looks like a shadow or dark mass But no veins that I can see since they are brown eggs. Does this mean they're fertile or should I wait a few more days to candle again. Advice greatly appreciated.

First, what day are you on? And second, the best way to candle eggs and really be able to see them is to take the egg out and shine the light down into the egg from the air cell end (fat end.) Candling from t he side or bottom skews the perspective and makes it hard to really tell what is going on. I have the best success candling like this:




I would not throw any egg out until day 10 and then only if I am sure there's no growth. If the eggs are significantly dark look around the edges of the air cell for them.

The link Beet gave you is a great thread to compare with. Just keep in mind that they use light eggs so it's much easier to see.

 

[BlueEyes12977]

I'm on day 5, Miss Amy.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'm on day 5, Miss Amy.

You're still early. I'd give them until day 7 candle again down into the egg from the air cell. The darker the egg the harder it is to tell in the first week. I don't toss until day 10. I haven't done real dark brown eggs, but I have green which are just as big of a pain...lol Sometimes the only way I can tell they are veining is finding a vein right around the air cell.

 

[BlueEyes12977]

Ok, thank you very much. Want so much to do this right. Don't wanna totally bomb my first attempt.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Ok, thank you very much. Want so much to do this right. Don't wanna totally bomb my first attempt.

I bought a brand new thermometer for my first hatch, never checked it, bombed my first hatch. Thermometer was 6 degrees off. So dissapointing. I think that's why I try to help others. I hate to see anyone have that dissapointment. It's hard after 21 days of anticipation then nothing. Well, I got one on day 24, that is a special needs roo, but such a dissapointing hatch. I can happily say it was the only bad one...lol I learned so much from that botched hatch.