Do i have to candle?

[hundleychickens]

I'm afraid to candle the eggs, its really hard to get my chickens to go and to stay broody I'm afraid that if i disturb the eggs she will decide she has stayed on them long enough and get up and leave. i don't have any access to a incubator. she has been sitting on them for 6 or 7 days now (of course the day or two before i leave for vacation.) i just asked my grandma who is taking care of them so i know the hen is still sitting on them.
i want more baby chicks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

No there is absolutely no reason that you have to candle. For thousands of years people have been letting broodies hatch eggs on their own and never candling. They are not extinct yet.

Candling is something that if fun to do. It provides entertainment and adds to the excitement. I normally candle my eggs in an incubator around Day 7 and when I go into lockdown so I have a better idea of what to expect, but I don't always do that. With dark brown or green eggs it's real hard to see inside anyway. I have never candled eggs under a broody.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Nope. I don't wish to mess with the eggs anymore than necessary. I candle once. Just a quick look, at day 14 or 15 to see the "clears" to pull. That's it and that's all I'm looking for. No sense moving clears to the hatcher.

 

[hundleychickens]

No there is absolutely no reason that you have to candle. For thousands of years people have been letting broodies hatch eggs on their own and never candling. They are not extinct yet.

Candling is something that if fun to do. It provides entertainment and adds to the excitement. I normally candle my eggs in an incubator around Day 7 and when I go into lockdown so I have a better idea of what to expect, but I don't always do that. With dark brown or green eggs it's real hard to see inside anyway. I have never candled eggs under a broody

this makes me feel so much better

thank you both!

 

[hundleychickens]

She wasn't a very good broody hen when I let my 8 week chicks out with the rest of the flock she decided to mother them and hasn'tleft their side since Iit's been about 4 or 5 days now. Just as well only one egg had something in it and it didn't get fully developed investing in an incubator this fall