candling

[bluedawg]

My eggs are at day 6 and I see nothing in any of them. They are dark marans eggs but still... how easy should it be to see the dark spot?

 

[UrbanMama]

Wait a few more days. The darker the egg, the harder it is to see...what are you candling with?

 

[hinkjc]

I doubt you'll be able to see much in them if they are the super dark marans eggs. I incubated Welsummer eggs once and couldn't see anything for the life of me.

If you wanna try again, make sure the room is pitch black. It allows more light to focus thru the egg and improves your chances of seeing something. Good luck.

Jody

 

[ChooksinIowa]

Agreed - dark maran eggs are nearly impossible to candle, especially at the early stages. I find you can get a better idea around day 16 - usually you can see a little bit of the distinct air cell at the large end a murky blackness below. If they are not developing, usually at the small end, you can see a bit through the egg, which means the chick isn't developing because it should be filling that space by then. If they are good then the small end is totally dark. But it's still difficult. Same with welsummers and penedesencas.

 

[bluedawg]

Thanks, I will leave them alone. I just didn't want any to explode. What is weaping? I am candling with a small but bright flashlight wth a rubber eyecup on the end.

 

[timbofarms]

be patient young grasshopper! Sorry just felt like saying that.

 

[kodiakchicken]

Weeping is when liquid from the eggs seeps out the pores of the egg because it has gone bad and has bacteria growing in it. You'll notice it when you turn your eggs - there will either be dots of sticky stuff on it or dots of dried ick.

 

[bluedawg]

oh good - So I'll know f they are bad. Thanks. I hear ya - It's very hard to be patent

but there is no way to rush an incubating egg.

 

[hinkjc]

Just give your bator a good sniff each time you open it to turn the eggs or add water. You will smell a bad egg long before weeping starts.

Jody