can't tell if there is anything growing

[Speed]

I just went out and candled a couple eggs, today would be day 4. I couldn't see anything at all in 1 egg, the shell seems to have speckles all over it making it very hard to see in there. The other egg was a light colored shell, I'm not positive but I think I see a yolk in there. I turned the egg and it floated up to the top, turned it again and it floated back up. I am using a bright LED flashlight, I put the egg (pointed end up) over the light in a dark room. Am I doing this right? Please help me, I would really like to hatch some eggs and I have a broody barred rock that is perfect for the job.

 

[HEChicken]

I have difficulty seeing anything that early so usually wait until 10 days. By then it is very easy to see the difference between the eggs that are clear and those that have development.

 

[Wolftalk]

ok you will probobly have to wait a few weeks to see if the chicks are growing. and you have to go into a VERY dark room with a powerfull flashlight to see anything. but yur hen will probobly take good care of her eggs!

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

Quote:
If you wait a 'few weeks', the eggs will hatch by then. The whole idea of candeling is to see if there is development prior to lockdown.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I candle by waiting until night and turning all the lights off... then by holding the egg pointy end DOWN (like it sits in the incubator) and holding the flashlight ABOVE POINTING DOWN into the egg, into the aircell, I can see a lot more that way. If your light it bright enough you should see veining in just a few days.

 

[Arielle]

Try again on day 6 or 7. You will see veining by then in viable eggs. I hold the egg on its side on top of a toilet roll tube and then shine the light up the tube.

VERY dark room--no lights at all. Even the TV in the opposite side of the house emits enough light to interfere-- at least in my house it does.LOL

Look at the sticky for candling pics and the chickens 101 section. Remember to check the size of the air cell, it must be getting bigger even by day 7. Find a chart or use this one:http://chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/resources/egg_to_chick/procedures.html Adjust the humidity if necessary.

I'm using very pale eggs for my first time incubating so I can see what is going on. You may need a stronger flashlight-I use just what I have and make do. Not much to see at 4 days. You'll enjoy the view at 6-7 days though!

Broody--you can give her half the eggs and see who does the better job!

 

[Speed]

ok thanks a bunch everyone. It's our first time trying to hatch out eggs and we are letting our barred rock hen o the sitting. I figure if she is broody why not put her to work.