first time candling stress

[emjay]

Today is Day 5. I just have a flashlight to use for candling, so not the strongest of lights, so was hard to see clearly into the egg. When I really looked hard, I could faintly see some veins ( I hope) On 2 for sure, I only looked at 6 , as the other eggs are blue and blue/green, not real see through.
the one egg is very porous looking and I saw no air sac, so I would assume this would be a dud. Should I wait until at least day 10 though before I start throwing out bad ones?
In another egg , there was a small dark circle at the bottom of the egg, kind of floating, I'm thinking that one too is no good.
In two there was a darker mass, with some spider veins (once again, I think I could see them, but, the light I don't think is bright enough)
I've been browsing candling threads, and they all seem so obvious at day 5, I guess the power of the light would have alot to do with it.

I also have a laser pointer , it is 1 mw. haven't tried it on all.
I am worried that I have a bator full of duds.

also, the flashlight kicked off some heat, will that hurt the embryo ?

 

[calgal98]

I won't toss anything until day 10 or even the day of lockdown. Then, at lockdown, I don't worry about whether it is moving or not, but if it has developed as a chick should...dark, not see through. If I see through it at that point its cracked open to see what has gone on and tossed. The candling is a tool, not much more. Its not a science for the backyard hatcher. Its a help and with practice a good tool. But don't toss the baby with the washwater. Give it time to develop if it will.
Vicki

 

[craziechick]

I learned my lesson about tossing eggs. I won't throw any until closer to hatch time either. My last hatch I had two that I thought for sure were duds and guess what, they hatched! The only egg I toss is one I can see right through....

 

[emjay]

so would i have affected the embryos by using a flashlight that kicked off some heat, and I rotated the eggs quite a bit trying to look into them, is that going to screw them up too??? I guess it would be no different then mama hen rolling them around.

as well, the blue eggs, hard to see into them, I sure hope none blow up !!!!!!

 

[CDennis]

I don't toss anything until lockdown. I check once around day 12 and will toss any clears but for the rest figure better safe than sorry they stay in the incubator till at least lockdown and with green or dark eggs, until hatch.

 

[emjay]

okay, I'll try not to panic just yet.
I do think the one is for certain a dud, but, I'll keep it in there for a few more days. It has been marked 'x' for elimination.

 

[Pharm Girl]

Quote:
Stressful and fun at the same time isn't it! I'm on day 6 with my broody hen hatch. First hatch for both of us! I candled one of her 6 eggs yesterday and saw clear veins and a dark little thing in the middle. I used a little cheapo LED light and that egg glowed like christmas. Oh gosh, now everybody's going to tell me not to use LED lights with eggs! Gah! Hopefully thats OK. I did see on another thread where you should wash and purel hands before handling eggs so not to give them bacterial contamination. That seemed like good advice. Otherwise, I'm right there with ya, albeit a bit jealous you can just look at the eggs whenever you want. I have to get through a protective chicken to get a peek at them. Mostly, I'm leaving my living bator alone to do her job, but it's all just so exciting.
Good luck to you and your hatch. Our eggs should be hatching nearly the same day.

 

[Jessiewoodard57]

I hatch mostly brown eggs so I don't candle untill day 10 and then again at lockdown. Here is a thought does it make a difference if you candle at day 3 or day 10? at day 3 do you throw away a suspect egg? Probable not so why candle early? I know your excited but if you can control the urge to candle early it should be easier to control the urge to open the bator during lockdown.

 

[Jessiewoodard57]

sorry post doubled