Candling quail eggs?! Few other questions too...

[Bettacreek]

Well, the little precious eggs arrived today (she sent 150!!!), and I was trying to candle them just to get a feel for it (and to check for cracks). How in the world are you supposed to see bacteria rings in them and such?! Some of them have so many brown spots that the eggs are basically brown with a little bit of white, and I can't see through these.

Also, the eggs that are more porous, and eggs that have hairline fractures, should I attempt to hatch these or just forget about them?
So far, it only looks like two eggs that definately need to be tossed (one is seeping, the other has a big dent in it), but there was one porous one and one with a tiny hairline fracture in it, but I only went through a few so far and might come across more porous or hairline cracked eggs.

 

[SamG347]

Porous eggs and cracked eggs go straight to the compost for me. And it really just takes some getting use to. I use a mag-light...candled at night in a pitch black room. Usually only candle quail eggs on day 7-8....that way if the eggs is black....you usually can assume there is a chick developing....if still clear usually ditch.
I know it's hard and some eggs I also just do on feel of weight and warmth. Bobwhite eggs are a breeze compared to Coturnix.
Good Luck

 

[Teach97]

I don't candle mine at all...the failure was too much

It is hard! Anything that seems cracked I scramble and feed!

 

[Bettacreek]

Alright, I think I have it pretty much figured out. If I light it from the side, I can actually see better.

New question, lol. Why are some of them looking like a greenish color inside? Most are really clear, but others look normal on the outside, but have a greenish hue when I candle. Is that normal? (BTW, up to 4 cracked eggs, 1 porous)

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
Not sure i've ever seen green inside the egg could it possibly be the way the light is hitting the yolk *just a guess*?

As for your first question, i've never had trouble candling coturnix eggs...now button quail eggs.....that's a hole 'nother ball game! LOL!

 

[SamG347]

The green is normal. I believe it is just the difference in coloration of shells....and possibly thickness of shell.

 

[BirdBoy88]

i always candle my quail eggs but after about day 10 you can't see anything

but normally when i candle i just put the light on the top large end of the egg just to see how the air cell is and i can see veins all around the air cell .. i try not to see through the whole egg because it never works..lol

 

[Bettacreek]

Thanks everyone. Now I have to figure out how to preserve the shells of the ones that were cracked, they're just too darn beautiful to simply toss or crack open and ruin the shell the rest of the way. I know people can blow quail eggs, but, do you need special equipment?

I'm stunned at just how gorgeous some of them are. Some of them remind me of the seashell candy that we get at x-mas and make me hungry and want those darn chocolates! Lol.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
a needle poked into to parts of the egg delicately and then blow into the hole (with your mouthor with a syringe) works well...takes a while and dont pass out! but i've done it with button quail eggs

 

[Bettacreek]

Awesome, thank you.

I'll probably have to try to convince hubby to do it, I've been getting lightheaded quite a bit lately, and I can't imagine that huffing and puffing my brains out would help any, lol.