Egg candling problems--can is too hot!

[Delighted]

I don't have a strong enough flashlight to candle my eggs, so I looked up how to build my own. Well, I don't have any of the materials on hand right now. (Light bulb socket, coffee can--we don't drink coffee so I don't know when I'm gonna get one of those! LOL!)

So I made do with what I have--a clamp lamp, with a 100 watt bulb screwed in, and a small can--the size canned veggies come in. I placed the can over the light bulb, and turned the resulting spotlight facing up, to place my eggs over. (Actually, first, I had a plastic cup, but the light bulb made quick mush of that!) Anyway, the can is probably 6 inches tall--I gave it little vent holes, for the heat, but that bugger got hot when I placed my hand over it with an egg cupped in my hand.

I set my eggs April 14, so they'd be a week along. I only tried 5 eggs, (out of 18) and I didn't see veining or anything-- but I also couldn't hold the egg to the light source too long. My sister sent me home with a bunch of assorted eggs when I visited her, and she labeled most of the eggs-- some are gonna be a surprise and I will be posting here asking what I have! But I know several are Buff Orpington. A couple really big, dark brown ones are labeled "BR"--I'm assuming Barred Rock, One is labeled Del, a couple "E"s (She has Easter eggers--which I have no idea which ones they were now! LOL--and I wouldn't know a Delaware, either. One is labeled "SS"-- any ideas what that would be? And there is one tiny egg--I'm guessing it's a squeaky toy-- er, I mean a bantam. I don't know if the kind of eggs i have, happen to have thicker shells that make it harder to candle, either?


Any ideas about how to candle without burning my hand, and any ideas about what I have?

(I know I can ask my sister, too, but she might not even remember what she sent)

 

[abanjaf]

I just use a cheapie $8 LED booklight from Wal-Mart, no can or anything, in a dark room. No heat and works great on everything but olive and maran eggs! If it's the tiny egg, that's labeled SS, silver sebright maybe?

 

[eggsited chickens]

I know you can get very strong flashlights for around $20. I was about ready to do that, but thought against it. I'm guessing i'm going to have to wait until they start hatching to reallly know.

 

[rancher hicks]

I picked up a flash light at TSC for $3.99.

 

[panner123]

go to the hardware store and get a plastic light base and a flood light bulb, 300 to 500 watt.
Cut 6 pieces of 1/2" x 6" wood into 6" lenghts. Attac the base to the bottom piece and make a box out of the ohter 5 pieces. Cut a 1" hole in the top piece and you have a candler that will even let you candle marans egg. Totol cost under $8.