Candling - what to expect???

[BayCityBabe]

DD & I are day 16 on our first batch of eggs. We have nearly 2 doz. eggs from 2 breeders. We candled at 6 days, 12 days and today. Our candlers consist of a high powered flashlight and/or a desklamp fitted with a box with a hole in it. We are not seeing "much" and are getting discouraged, especially as we read accounts of wiggling and peeping, pipping and zipping. What we are seeing are air pockets that have grown over time and dark *globs* that have grown. We have seen some veining, but no webs, per se.
Help. Advice appreciated. The university websites with videos of kicking, wiggling chicks in their shells are enough to send me over the edge.

Has anyone ever used a stethoscope to listen to their eggs?

 

[shelleyd2008]

It is hard to see the chicks moving unless you have a very bright light. If you can see the blobs, and some veins, I would think they would be fine. Get a bright LED light, those seem to work very well.
Also I have never used a stethescope. Good luck!

 

[swtangel321]

on day 16 you SHOULD be seeing "blobs" and the air sac, this late in incubation you wont see much more than that...... You could try a brighter flashlight !!!! Good luck

 

[shelleyd2008]

If you look closely by the air sac, you might be able to see some movement, but as swtangel said, it is very hard to see anything but a blob at this late stage.

 

[BayCityBabe]

DH has a stethoscope. Do you think I might hear anything?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Idk, but it would be worth a try. I believe there was someone else on here that said they did it.

 

[Riocotesei]

I would suggest a mini maglight. I just bought one today and I can see clear as day in my dark brown eggs and the blue colored ones as well.

At that stage, I would say all your going tosee is big 'ole blobs cause by then they fill most of the shell. Good luck with you babies!!

 

[jimnjay]

At day 16 you should be able to see a very dark portion in the shell and the air cell on the large end it should be about 1/4 of the egg by now and will be around 1/3 of the egg on day 21. The air cell is just empty space in the egg and it will show clearly with a flashlight.

You need to have a dark place (no light at all) to candle properly. Even a regular flashlight at this stage will work, not well but you will know if that is a growing chick by the contrast. Hold the egg on its side and shine the flashlight on the large end with will see a clear area and the rest should be mostly dark.

I have made several candlers and nothing has worked as well as the mini maglight.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

I have a strong led flashlight. I shine the light on top of the egg and you can see the air sac easily. If you are lucky and just hold the light there for a minute you will be able to see movement in the egg. What a awesome treat that is. Good luck Peace

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
I know there is a egg candling site and they listen to there eggs, not sure what day they do it on !!!!! Hmmmm, I will see if I can find the site.... Now you got my wondering I have a fetal heart beat thing that I use for the baby (im preggo) I wonder if that would be able to pick up a heart beat.... gonna have to try it with my broody hens eggs !!!! Going to look for that site !!!!