Egg Candling! Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices.

[CluckNDoodle]

That's still really odd though. Maybe candle them to see if they are developing before you put nail polish on them. You will need to wait for it to dry before you can put them back in the Incubator or use a separate Incubator where they don't turn while the nail polish cures. Liquid bandage is another option, I have some now but I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet.

The reason I say to candle to see if they're developing is because the only other thing I can think of that would randomly cause cracks is pressure building up in the egg from bacteria. So just to be safe, candle them.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

 

[Newbie123]

@CluckNDoodle

I have 4 chicks in my incubator from a broody hen busy with her hatched chicks. All are alive and one has a crack in it. The broody hen had the cracked egg close to the metal walls of the nest box. Should I use nail polish or...?

 

[Kiki]

Quail egg with phone flashlight

 

[CluckNDoodle]

@CluckNDoodle

I have 4 chicks in my incubator from a broody hen busy with her hatched chicks. All are alive and one has a crack in it. The broody hen had the cracked egg close to the metal walls of the nest box. Should I use nail polish or...?

Yes, you can use nail polish. It has worked well for me on surface cracks.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Sure! You should definitely be able to see development by now.

I'm gonna candle tonight when it gets dark.
I am so scared to find out whether Pippin can follow her dreams of being a momma hen, or not!!!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Only 14 days until they are expected!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Join my Broody Hatch-A-Long HERE

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I'm gonna candle tonight when it gets dark.
I am so scared to find out whether Pippin can follow her dreams of being a momma hen, or not!!!

I hope there are plenty of fertilized eggs. Just take your time while candling and be careful while handling them. Remember, broody hens get up for 15-20 minutes to eat drink and potty while they're brooding eggs, it's better to be careful than to feel rushed. Good luck!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

It gets dark really late (near summer) so I will tell you (maybe pics) what I see.
I am so scared... My first time having REAL FERTILE EGGS under a broody- I just hope she can raise chicks like she's always wanted to!

Plus, I really wanna know what's in those eggs!!! It's killing me trying to guess what breed, or whether they are hybrids or pure!