Eggs explode??

[chickensista]

How common is this? I'm incubating eggs for the first time, and most are welsummers. Since they are difficult to candle, do I have to worry about a bad one exploding? Or will any bad eggs most likely make it through the incubation period?
Should I buy a super duper candler or no?
Thanks!
Terry

 

[jnjross]

i think you'll smell it b4 it gets that far

 

[coopist]

Hi Terry,

It's not terribly common but it does happen. You can usually spot a bad egg before it explodes, because they will usually begin to "weep" or sort of sweat drops of goo. If you see one like that, get it out of there fast or you'll have a foul-smelling mess and your hatch may be ruined.

Candling is a great idea to avoid this sort of thing and to keep tabs on developments. Some people just use a strong flashlight. Others a commercial candler. Others make their own. A small lamp with a fluorescent bulb covered with a cardboard box can work. I use a hunter's spotlight (3 million candle power

) with a cardboard box for mine and I can see absolutely everything even in brown eggs. Something like that might work well for yours.

 

[mangled]

I bought a Rayovac Sportsman Extreme LED flashlight with 45 lumens, and you can see everything in those nice dark brown eggs. I got it at Wal-mart for about $18.88 or something.

It still can't penetrate those darned EE eggs of mine, tho'.

We have also used a spotlight, I think ours is 2 million candlepower or something. Ours gets way too hot too quickly.

Good luck with your hatch - we're on day 14.

Em

 

[coopist]

Quote:
Hmm, mine doesn't get that hot, plus my box holds the eggs pretty well up off the light itself. So, I don't have a problem with that. Guess you'd have to make sure there was proper clearance.

 

[shortcake1806]

I've found that a teracotta flowerpot upside down over the spot light works really well. Keeps the eggs away from the heat and focuses the light well.

 

[coopist]

Quote:
Hey, that's a great idea.

 

[mangled]

That IS a great idea. Our spot gets ridiculously hot, even with normal use. I didn't mean it as a generalization, just my experience with our spotlight.

I have a terra cotta pot that would be PERFECT over the top of our spot.

You guys are so clever!

 

[talos321]

I used a big plastic cup from the 1.00 store and had some black vinyl spray dye and coated the inside of the cup and drilled a tiny hole into the bottom. This fits on our spotlight and makes the eggs light up like a Christmas ornament.

 

[chickensista]

Thank you for all the info! I'll try and see what I can find to candle, but if all else fails I'll look for the ooze.