Candling eggs, a dark section too dark to see veins?

[chicklets81]

I've seen pictures of day 8 candling, and it seems to me I should see veins in the eggs.

But, in my cochin bantam eggs, its just dark. Theres open air on both top and bottom of shell, and just darkness in between. I candled other eggs, that are obviously dead, and they are clear, with nothing inside.

These eggs are dark in the middle of the egg, so dark that I can't see anything.

Someone posted that if I can't see veins, the egg is dead, but what if its just too dark to see anything? Is it possible its still growing inside and the mass is just so thick now that I'm unable to view the contents?

I'd hate to think that my incubator isn't working, or that my eggs somehow died after incubation started. my thermometer reads 100 and digital readout says 39.4. I have kept humidity at around 30-35 %

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If your eggs are dark and you don't have a high dollar candler, about all you can see is a dark mass.
Have faith. I don't remove any eggs until day 23 unless they are obvious clears, stink or leak.

 

[chicklets81]

Thanks ChickenCanoe for your positivity! My cochin bantam eggs aren't that dark, but I know every situation is different. Just because I can't see it doesn't mean its not growing.

I was very spoiled with my 1st hatching round of Spitzhauben eggs (failed due to power outage) that were very easy to candle. These, not so much.

I can't wait to see what hatches! Thanks for reminding me to hope for the best!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Speaking of dark eggs, I'm setting these today.



I never used to be able to see much of anything in them. I don't have a high dollar candler. I'm now using a 420 lumen LED flashlight with the lens removed so the egg sets down inside near the diode and not leaking any light.
I still don't see what you do in a white egg but I can now see some veins and last hatch, I even saw the embryo move. Never saw that before.

Always have faith. If it doesn't go well, look at temperature first as a cause. Probably turning next, then humidity and then breeder nutrition.

This is my favorite thermometer that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
http://www.thermoworks.com/RT301WA

This gives all the reasons for failures at different stages of quitting.
http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00008570/00001/1j