Candling Questions

[SilverLacedMom]

Hello BYC!

I am a new chick momma, I ordered 3 silver laced wynadotte eggs off the internet. (mypetchicken.com) They sent me 4! I put them in the incubator December 10th.

Anyways, I have been candling them everyday, trying to learn what I am looking at. One egg is developing very nicely, I have been following the candling pictures I found on the internet and everything seems to be going ok. Then there are 2 that are a few days behind my "first" egg.

Then I have the 4th egg that is the farthest away from the light. I have a 3 egg hatcher, so the 4th is "squeezed" in. All I could see for days is a "air bubble" and now there is red in it and veins.

Is there anyway that all 4 of these eggs are developing that far apart. The "first egg" seems to be 2-3 days ahead of the "pair" of eggs, and then the "forth" extra I thought was dead and its now got a red spot and veining and is about 7 days behind the whole clutch.

How can you tell an egg is bad? I know there might be a smell, but none are smelling.

 

[Rainwolf]

sounds like they are all growing. maybe rotate them around so that no 1 egg gets left in the cold spot all the time? (once a day kinda thing)

When I started I had hatches that were all over the place... early, late, spread over 3-4 days, etc...
As you learn about hatching and how your incubator works you will get better hatches that are all hatching at the same time.

Congrats on the hatching!

 

[Rainwolf]

oh and

 

[SilverLacedMom]

Thank you Rainwolf!

I was scared to rotate them like that thinking putting a "good egg" in the "cold spot" would kill it/harm it. So I will do that tonight at the 12 Midnight rotation. (I am rotating every 4 hrs, 12midnight, 4morning, 8 morning, 12 noon and 4 afternoon, 8 night)

I am so terrified that they wont make it, and Im candling them every day...LOL...I am so worried! And Im not getting much sleep! I cant wait for them to hatch ahah...its been 9 days!

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Sit on yer hands!!! The more you open the incubator the more humidity you lose, and the more humidity you lose you start taking a chance of them being to dry and they won't be able to get out. And NEVER open it during lockdown!

 

[SilverLacedMom]

Quote:
Sit on yer hands!!! The more you open the incubator the more humidity you lose, and the more humidity you lose you start taking a chance of them being to dry and they won't be able to get out. And NEVER open it during lockdown!

uhh oh...I know I cant help it...I do keep water in the incubator...whats lockdown? The last 3 days of incubation?

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Sit on yer hands!!! The more you open the incubator the more humidity you lose, and the more humidity you lose you start taking a chance of them being to dry and they won't be able to get out. And NEVER open it during lockdown!

uhh oh...I know I cant help it...I do keep water in the incubator...whats lockdown? The last 3 days of incubation?

Yes on day 18 you increase humidity, remove the turner, close the bator and wait for them to hatch.

 

[enggass]

I have a candling question as well. I will be using the Brinsea Oct 20 Eco. When I candle the eggs, would it be best to take out the tray removing all eggs and then close the bator to retain temps. Do my candling, then put tray with eggs back in? In nature the momma will leave all the eggs for a bit to eat etc... OR, is it best to remove one egg at a time. This would mean opening and closing the bator multiple times... Anyone like to chime in?
Thanks!

 

[briteday]

We usually remove a whole tray at once, set it on top of a warm clothes dryer, and keep it snuggled in a big towel (lifting up the edge of the towel just to remove/replace an egg).

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
At first, I took each one out really carefully. Now I don't even remove them. I candle them in the tray in the bator. Takes some practice, and when I come across one that doesn't look right I will take it out for a closer look. Then again, I never candle til day 10.....