Candling: I'm doing it wrong. Update, pg two! I see a baby!

[chicken-owner-31]

Thanks speckledhen!

I knew I was chancing it by getting a cheapo, so I made sure to calibrate it. It showed it was 5 degrees off. So I take that into consideration too.

I'm just thinking that either my flashlight is too weak or that these eggs are not fertile. The roo is in with probably 12 hens (maybe 15) so perhaps he just didn't catch everybody. He wasn't the dominant roo of the flock to begin with, so his owners actually thought he was a hen (had VERY obvious saddle and hackle feathers.....they didn't believe me when I told them until he crowed.) They had taken the other two roos out of the pen for the season, and left him because they thought he was female. This guy came into his own, crowed, but hasn't been seen "with" the gals. So who knows. I figured if it was male and had the opportunity, things would happen! (It's that way with every other male on the planet, right?

)

Eggtopsies will be performed (outside and carefully!) once I am confident that there is no babies forming. Just cause I'm curious like that!

 

[lavacaw]

I live on the Texas Gulf coast - we also have high humidity and I still have not found it necessary to use a hygrometer. I figure if the mama hens can hatch 'em in this humidity without one, so can I.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
hehe! Well if you are having success with that, no one can argue with success. I also live on the Gulf coast and do need one. My original thought was this: That it's much drier in my house than it is outside (usually). As it turns out, I was right. But that's only me. And only when I am keeping the doors and windows shut like if it's very cold or very hot (can't do without my AC!). Otherwise, it's normally more humid outside than what is even needed until lockdown. Whew, does it get humid!

 

[ms.cluckling]

I'm new at this too! I'm on day 16...
Anyway, I couldn't keeps my hands off. I candled almost everyday! curse my impatience!!!
I started seeing things on day 5. I saw the eye...
check out this thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876

 

[chicken-owner-31]

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, I couldn't keep my hands off and candled again last night. ONE of the eggs has a BABY IN IT!!!!!!!

I could see a little (big) eyeball and it was jumping around in there!

There were 2 others that were suspect, and 3 more that I'm pretty sure are duds. I"m NOT touching it anymore until day 10. I'm not. I'm not. (I have to keep telling myself that!)

Oh if I could only get one baby out of these!!!

Come on, number 6!!!!

 

[terrilhb]

Sit on your hands. I am going through this too. LOL. I was told to sit on my hands till day 10. It is hard though. Nervewracking. Good luck and don't forget sit on em.

 

[chicken-owner-31]

Haha, sitting!!! (When I'm not typing, anyway!

)

 

[terrilhb]

Me too. I have never been so nervous. We did 10 how many did you do?

 

[chicken-owner-31]

Only 6. Roo is standard Cochin cross, hens were Cochins, RIR, and EEs.

What are yours? What type of bator do you have? I already want a bigger one! Haha!