can't miss candeling??

[tigercreek]

At what stage is the best to KNOW that you are seeing something?? I'm at day 6 , just candeled for the first time, and removed some clear eggs. Cracked them and I was correct, but there are several others that looked like maybes??, and some that have pretty dark areas, and there are a few that are too dark for me to see thru. I've seen the candeling pictures, so I have an idea of what I should see, just am not sure of what I am seeing. .thanks......stan

 

[ScissorChick]

Normally, if I don't see anything at day 4-7, I put them back in

the incubator and candle again on day 14. And by doing this, i've

saved some chicks. Normally by day 14 you should be able to tell

whether they are good or not. You should see cloudiness, mass, or

veins when you candle.

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

I just read a site that said to candle on days 3,6,9, 12, and 15. I've been guilty of following other advice and candling as often as I'd like. But when it comes to when you should first start seeing development, that all depends on the type of candling device you are using and what kind of eggs. Of course darker eggs are harder to see; however, you can overcome most shades of egg coloring with the right candling device. I used to use a maglite, which was pretty bad, but let me see the dancing embryo(dark spot) around day 5 but more defined around day 7 or 8. That was on Orpingtons, which have light brown shells. I recently made a new device with a pickle jar and some paint, and scrap wood. I use a 100w and 200w for the stubbornly dark ones. Try these threads:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=188436

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876

 

[tigercreek]

Thanks guys! I am using an led flashlight that is very bright, but not hot. Good link and discussion in the links, can you tell me when I should see movement, and should I wait for a bad smell before giving up on one that I don't see anything in ?? .........stan

 

[al6517]

I hatch an awful lot of egg's so my candling schedule is more of convienance than anything. so what I do is candle them on day 18 before they go into the hatcher. That way I don't waste any time needlessly candling and ooogling, I keep a sharp eye out for weeping and any sign's that the egg's aren't right or may explode ( which hasn't ever happened ), other than that I let them be till hatcher time which by then I know whether they are good or not no in betweens at that point.

AL

 

[tigercreek]

Thanks Al, the exploding egg is my main concern, along with bad bacteria . These trial eggs were very dirty. I'll just leave them unless I get a bad smell?? thanks again...........stan

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Yeah I hear ya on the dirty egg thing, I am one of those that set's clean ones, when they get a little nasty I just can't get it in my head to set them until I clean them LOL. Good luck on the hatch.

AL

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

The last eggs I ordered had some real nasty looking eggs in the bunch. I know people say this is natural, but I took out the sand paper and washed the worst ones anyway. Heard people have perfectly fine hatches when washing.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
They do.......... I am of the mind set that a clutch of dirty nasty egg's will prove much more disasterous in the incubator than a clean washed egg.

AL