First Egg Candling

[JLeigh]

Peeps, thanks for re-posting that picture. That was the most helpful, and I was going back and forth, back and forth trying to get a "match". I'm going back down in a few minutes to candle one more time to make sure the air cell is staying in the fat end of the egg. That's my only concern at this point. Once that's settled, I'll settle down, and in, for the next week to candle again.
I'll let you know one way or the other. Of course, if other questions come up, I reserve the right to beg for help

.

Daylily, I think I remember reading about your first candling or two (maybe not you?) and they/you had the same concerns I do. Like, "What is THAT?" and "Idon'tknowwhatI'mseeing!" I like it that you're one hatch ahead of me. I'm so excited for you, and hope it all turns out great in the end. Have you figured how many you think will hatch? AND YOU'RE IN LOCKDOWN!!! I'm so envious. I really will be watching for your post that states how many little keets are running around. And, of course, as Peeps says, "Pics! Pics!" Get your camera out and charged up, okay?
At this point, I'm relaxing. I've done the best I can do, and I continue to monitor temp & humidity twice a day. Sometimes more. All I can do is wait. Next step - Brooder Panic!

I can't wait for the day that I can give hatching advice on this forum. Won't that be somethin'!

 

[JLeigh]

OMG! OMG!

SIX, FERTILE, VEINING, AIR SAC ON TOP - FOR SURE!!! In two the air sac moves from top to bottom when I turn the egg, which is a bummer. But on six, no, they stay exactly where they should be. I GET IT NOW! (Duh.) And I clearly; unmistakably, saw the veining. That was exciting. (Sweet little keets growing their littles hearts out...awwww.)

So, unless we're hit by a tornado (in which case I'm heading for that reinforced coop my husband overbuilt) I'm gonna have some keets. How many? Can't say until they hatch, but I'm going to have some keets. We have a solar power system on our house, so even if the power goes out - - I'm good!

Ok!!!!! I'm ready for a glass of wine! Again, THANK YOU for everything, guys. Happy Day.

 

[JLeigh]

Did I mention how happy I am?

Well, just in case you missed it.....

 

[PeepsCA]

Woo hoo 6 with veins!!! That's excellent news! The loose air cell thing can sometimes happen during rough handling while being shipped, but don't give up on those eggs yet... if possible only candle those 2 eggs while they are in the egg racks, the less you move/turn them over/around the better chance they may have of continued development (not always, but sometimes). I think the hardest part for me, once I know that my eggs are fertile/viable, developing and growing... is the waiting part

I am not a patient person, so I have to stay preoccupied or there's nose prints all over the the incubator window... lol.

 

[JLeigh]

LOL - - "nose prints". That's a good image. I will take your advice, and leave the poor eggs alone for a while. Poor things; all the way from MN I think. I'm hoping I'm surprised by another egg or two and see development, but I'm content. If it's six, then six it is. And I'll give them about a week before I go picking them up again. I'll keep the "iffy's" for a while longer.

Whew. That was a great lesson though. After reading your post, I went down determined to figure this out, and VOILA, there it all was....and the veins were incredible! I think I must have a fairly good candling light because the veins were unmistakable. If I can, I'll get my husband to take some pictures and post them. The more pictures a novice can look at, the better.

Oh I'm just so excited.....until lockdown.....then it's back to my old self. (There isn't an emoticon for that).

Have a great holiday weekend, Peeps

And Daylily...GOOD LUCK.

 

[daylily]

Congrats JLeigh! I think somehow, now correct me if I am wrong, but you do seem Happy! LOL Way to go ! Good job! Now to wait which is the hardest part! You can check out some of my eggs on the thread "uh oh... found an egg today!" The eggs are 22 days old so that is what my candled eggs look like worst to best. Yes the camera is charged and ready!

 

[PeepsCA]

LOL - - "nose prints". That's a good image. I will take your advice, and leave the poor eggs alone for a while. Poor things; all the way from MN I think. I'm hoping I'm surprised by another egg or two and see development, but I'm content. If it's six, then six it is. And I'll give them about a week before I go picking them up again. I'll keep the "iffy's" for a while longer.

Whew. That was a great lesson though. After reading your post, I went down determined to figure this out, and VOILA, there it all was....and the veins were incredible! I think I must have a fairly good candling light because the veins were unmistakable. If I can, I'll get my husband to take some pictures and post them. The more pictures a novice can look at, the better.

Oh I'm just so excited.....until lockdown.....then it's back to my old self. (There isn't an emoticon for that).

Have a great holiday weekend, Peeps

And Daylily...GOOD LUCK.

You don't have to leave the eggs a lone, lol I just really suggest it for the 2 with the loose air cells. The others are fine to candle still. Glad you got to see the veins, they get more and more prominent as the keets develop, to the point you can see the bigger ones pulse with the keet's heartbeat. Wait 'til you get to see the embryos kicking around in the egg, it's quite the experience... the miracle of life, right there in a little egg in your hand.

Aren't your Guineas laying eggs? If so are you going to start collecting them to incubate? If it were me, I'd start collecting and storing their eggs when you have 15-16 days of incubation for this batch left (if your Guineas are laying for you that is). Or you can order more eggs... lol, but I think you'd have better luck/a better hatch rate with eggs from your own Guineas! (Yah, I know, I know... I'm an enabler, sorry sorry sorry

I can tell you aren't done yet tho!)

 

[JLeigh]

You don't have to leave the eggs a lone, lol I just really suggest it for the 2 with the loose air cells. The others are fine to candle still. Glad you got to see the veins, they get more and more prominent as the keets develop, to the point you can see the bigger ones pulse with the keet's heartbeat. Wait 'til you get to see the embryos kicking around in the egg, it's quite the experience... the miracle of life, right there in a little egg in your hand.

Aren't your Guineas laying eggs? If so are you going to start collecting them to incubate? If it were me, I'd start collecting and storing their eggs when you have 15-16 days of incubation for this batch left (if your Guineas are laying for you that is). Or you can order more eggs... lol, but I think you'd have better luck/a better hatch rate with eggs from your own Guineas! (Yah, I know, I know... I'm an enabler, sorry sorry sorry

I can tell you aren't done yet tho!)

I have six acres which is mostly wooded. Our neighbors have wooded acreage as well. The nest could be anywhere. I could coop up the female for a couple of weeks, and MIGHT do that, but right now they don't have their own coop. I had hoped they would share with the chickens, but nope, so they stay in the run at night. We're going to build a coop for them in the next month or so, long before cold weather. I'm not sure what to do about finding the nest. They leave in the a.m. and then come home in the afternoon. She's probably laying somewhere, but I haven't found it yet. I haven't searched very hard, though. I'm toying with keeping them in the run for a week to see what happens. I have six Royal Purple eggs coming from Strombergs. I guess I just haven't committed to doing this in one particular way, but, oh, yeah, I'm not finished. Just haven't found my "groove" yet. (or thenest

 

[PeepsCA]

Yikes, ok... you're Hens may start disappearing soon if you don't find those nests (predators will get them while they are on their nests, and most likely the eggs too). Try calling your birds for treats a few times on and off thru the day, if they come running watch where they come from, then hang out after they are done with their treats and watch where they wander off too (don't let them see you watching them tho, lol)... and then start egg/nest hunting in that direction. This is a tried and true method for me. Also while I am outside working in the garden I keep an ear out, my Hens make a distinct drawn out "I laid an egg cackle/call" when they have just laid an egg... I try to hone in on the direction the call came from and then go egg/nest hunt that area as well. My males usually hang out with their Hens, either sitting near by or standing tall, on the look out and will start yelling at me if I get too close to their nest which also gives me an idea of where to look, and the Hens are usually hunkered down on the nests. I think if you can master finding your own Guineas' eggs, and see how much better your hatch rates are, you'll never bother with the cost, stress and worry of setting shipped eggs ever again! (Unless you are looking for certain colors).

 

[JLeigh]

I hope I can get this photo to show. Today, all my fertile eggs' dark halfs are moving it seems. Tell me what you think. This was the best picture. The others were worthless. But that dark spot stays put, and the veins are very clearly seen in "person".

Peeps, I'm going to find the nest.