Egg Candling! Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices.

[CoopsNPoops]

I find that my cell phone flashlight works the best. I also find that candling with the light above the egg works better too, as opposed to the light source on the bottom shining up. With the air cell up, candle with the light on top shining down. The darker the room, the better. There will always be that "sweet spot" you hit in the air cell with the light. When you hit it just right, you can see perfectly. Don't be afraid to move the light around on the air cell until you find the spot that gives you the best visual.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

Handy charts for what you should expect to see and at what stage of incubation:

 

[Kellyjenny]

No, you didn't say anything wrong at all. What do you mean?

I'm starting another hatch with 22 eggs I know there's probably no answer to this but is there a way to lessen the percentage of early quitters. Any thoughts I had 22 eggs before on the 7th day I had 12 quitters is there something I'm doing wrong

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I'm starting another hatch with 22 eggs I know there's probably no answer to this but is there a way to lessen the percentage of early quitters. Any thoughts I had 22 eggs before on the 7th day I had 12 quitters is there something I'm doing wrong

There may be hot and cold spots in your incubator. Have you checked for that?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I'm starting another hatch with 22 eggs I know there's probably no answer to this but is there a way to lessen the percentage of early quitters. Any thoughts I had 22 eggs before on the 7th day I had 12 quitters is there something I'm doing wrong

There are many factors that can effect hatch rate. Early quitters are much harder to determine the cause than late quitters. Handling, breeding flock health, bacteria, temperature, proper turning, genetics. It can be any number of things.

I had a hatch with a lot of quitters and I couldn't figure out what was causing it until hatch when I had late quitters that were severely deformed. I had great hatches from other flocks and when trying to hatch from that flock again, I found that the same happened again. So sometimes it takes trial and error to figure out what causes it.

Monitor the settings that are easier to control first. Temperature (make sure to use a calibrated thermometer to check against your Incubator), humidity, proper turning, and cleaning your hands well before handling.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

This thread will be so helpful when I hatch! The eggs ship on Monday, and I'll pick up my incubator probably a few days before that.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

This thread will be so helpful when I hatch! The eggs ship on Monday, and I'll pick up my incubator probably a few days before that.

I look forward to your updates! Fingers crossed for a great hatch!

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

I’m a newbie can someone show a photo of the correct way to...candle? Not sure if that’s how it’s used in a sentence haha
I can read descriptions all day but I’m a visual learner.

 

[TOR]

We just candled day 7, daughter checked eggs. we use a turner. Turn out light and she uses the flashlight on fat side egg air cell up does not pick up egg unless
1 dark egg
2 does not see veining
3 a if egg> if egg = just not look right, just 1 one of those not sure hummm eggs

Then we rotate eggs, observe eggs ( never had a exploding egg) look for irregularities like sweating egg ( got that from this forum)
Will not candle again until day 11 or 12.

I prefer waiting to day 7 just easier to see veining, growth is there or not usually, less handling.

just 2 cents for what it is worth.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

I’m a newbie can someone show a photo of the correct way to...candle? Not sure if that’s how it’s used in a sentence haha
I can read descriptions all day but I’m a visual learner.

Depends what you are using to candle.

If you are using a wee torch - take a look at my photo's on page 4 of this thread. I sit my eggs in a carton or supported on a towel - and gently apply my torch to the egg (close to the egg means less escaped light = you can see in the egg better) then move the torch around until I can see what I want to.

As mentioned in the original post - I prefer to have the light at the fat end of the egg where the air sac is - that gives you the best chance at seeing inside. If you candle from the thin end - later on in the incubation the chick fills up the egg and you can't see anything except a big fat chick butt