Crazy question about candling

[Deryk]

So I am not new to raising chickens, but have only done one incubator hatch. I have had a few broody hens who we let hatch and raise their clutch.

Here is my crazy question. Why is everyone so quick to candle and discard eggs from the incubator?

I saw one post this past week that someone didn't even incubate some eggs because they could somehow tell they were infertile while in the shell.

The reason I ask is during my recent incubation I went by the book for the most part. I candled at day 7, 14, 18ish...traced air sacks, etc...but I didn't discard any eggs that I couldn't see development in. On day 7 there were 3 eggs out of 14 that I could not see ANY development, but I left them in the incubator. Every time I candled there were eggs that you could absolutely see the development and movement, but others just looked dead.

I never removed any of the eggs regardless of if I thought they were no good. Low and behold, the ones I didn't think had any life in them all hatched. 2 of the ones I knew were developing died in the shell the last couple days. 12 of 14 hatched.

When hens go broody we just let them run the course. They kick the eggs out or abandon them on their own. I just think it's best to do the same thing when incubating. Maybe I am missing something.

 

[pittmanbirds]

The undeveloped eggs can explode and ruin the entire hatch. I don't trace air cells. I rarely pitch a egg unless its completely infertile. Taking a risk and pitching a egg that looks like its not doing well is better than that 1egg ruining 30+ other eggs is the common conception i believe.

 

[pittmanbirds]

I usually candle at 10 days then as im starting lockdown

 

[JaeG]

Ok, discarding eggs before you've even incubated is just crazy! There's no way of knowing which are fertile or not unless you crack open the egg and look at the blastoderm.

The thickness and colour of the egg can affect what you can see as well.

The more you candle the more you see and the more you know. I generally incubate Button quail eggs so if I can only see yolk at day 10 (they hatch day 16-18ish) then they are infertile. I do a quick candle every day as they are my eggs. I have very few that don't make it to the end. I had one little foetus that stopped growing about a week in, yet that baby kept moving and grooving for another week before it finally died. It didn't grow at all but it was very much alive. I felt sad when I finally saw it had given up.

With chicken eggs if the foetus has died it's prudent to remove it so the bad bacteria doesn't make it explode. The foetus looks black and lumpy and you cannot see veins.

 

[Deryk]

Never experienced an exploding egg...I will keep my fingers crossed after a little research.

 

[BantyChooks]

So I am not new to raising chickens, but have only done one incubator hatch. I have had a few broody hens who we let hatch and raise their clutch.

Here is my crazy question. Why is everyone so quick to candle and discard eggs from the incubator?

I saw one post this past week that someone didn't even incubate some eggs because they could somehow tell they were infertile while in the shell.

The reason I ask is during my recent incubation I went by the book for the most part. I candled at day 7, 14, 18ish...traced air sacks, etc...but I didn't discard any eggs that I couldn't see development in. On day 7 there were 3 eggs out of 14 that I could not see ANY development, but I left them in the incubator. Every time I candled there were eggs that you could absolutely see the development and movement, but others just looked dead.

I never removed any of the eggs regardless of if I thought they were no good. Low and behold, the ones I didn't think had any life in them all hatched. 2 of the ones I knew were developing died in the shell the last couple days. 12 of 14 hatched.

When hens go broody we just let them run the course. They kick the eggs out or abandon them on their own. I just think it's best to do the same thing when incubating. Maybe I am missing something.

Good question. I don't throw out eggs until day 10, and I think many are way too hasty.

As for telling when they're infertile before incubation, there is no way to my knowledge that that is possible. There has been evidence of possibility at 24 or 48 hours---but not before setting.

 

[BantyChooks]

Never experienced an exploding egg...I will keep my fingers crossed after a little research.

I've had two leakers. It's not nice.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

.... Here is my crazy question. Why is everyone so quick to candle and discard eggs... I saw one post this past week that someone didn't even incubate some eggs because they could somehow tell they were infertile.... while in the shell.

No, I don't think that you are missing anything but with overly large eggs, underly small egg, grossly misshapen eggs, paper shelled eggs, eggs with cracks, and eggs that are excessively fouled with poop it is a very good idea not to include such eggs in the clutch that you or your setting hen is incubating. Tossing these eggs now save a lot of work, reduces vertical disease transmission, and prevents heart aches and added expense later on.

 

[Mosey2003]

I only candle at lockdown. I'm not a fan of having the incubator open for longer than necessary to add water, and candling takes time. Plus, I don't like the eggs to be touched or moved before lockdown, either. I don't set eggs that are overly dirty, and I sanitize my eggs before they go in, I've never had one leak or explode, even though upon eggtopsy I have had some bacteria problems occasionally.