Hatch along!!!! setting january 11-15!!!

[pinky67]

Hi! Just set my very first eggs On Friday the 18th! 14 Silkies. Shipped eggs. PA to CA! Packed well...arrived intact. I let them sit for 19 hours big end up. Of the 14 at least 5 had funky air cells. Now they are all in the bator.... big end up! I'm going to try no turning for 5-7 days. Good luck everyone!

 

[AnimalLover99]

Candled my eggs tonight, 1 was for sure developing because it was almost black when I shined the light on it(its day 12). One was not fertile, and the rest were sort if half dark but I couldn't tell. Hope the very dark one isn't the pnly one that hatches out of 9

 

[Gardengirl73]

It's funny, but I've noticed mine will seem all black and the next day only half, and then back to all dark.(Yes, I'm a compulsive candler, think I'll get marans next because I'll not be able to see. lol.) I think they spread out and ball up alternately. Although they all sound about like mine. I'm on day 13.

 

[ppimf]

i have ducks in now and they are on day 10 i have candled 3 times lol is this bad? i have a brinsea so the temp goes right back up fast. i just can't keep my hands off this is my first time incubating. with 7 ducks left i had one unfertile eggs

 

[Gardengirl73]

Hey Willow, I think you are in good shape. I hardly saw air cells that early. Also, it's early days, you've got plenty of time for adjustments! It's so easy to panic with these little guys. I freaked out because I thought my veins had done a disappearing act and my chickies had died. It took me a while to figure out the batteries in my candler were getting weak. New batteries, pow, I could see everything. My husband said I'm going to have blind chickens from the light.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Gardengirl73]

I've read that you can candle everyday safely as long as you have very clean hands and keep the egg out for as little time as possible. Eggs can really hold on to that internal temp pretty well. If you only have a few eggs you can candle each one in less than a minute. And have the incubator closed back up again really fast. Temps in the eggs should stay pretty stable. If you were doing like 40, well, you might have an issue. It's the oils on the hands you have to watch for. They clog egg pores. I scrub my hands with antibacterial soap before hand. Good luck!

 

[ppimf]

well my brinsea just shut down so i got out the stro bator and starting it hope i didn't loss to many with that mess, this is the second time it has broke down in less than 2 weeks. i'm calling them in the am hopefully they just don't send another power cord.

 

[Destinysma]

I think I am just really not sure what I am seeing when I candle. I sneak out to the nest and pull one egg out from under my broody at a time. I shine the light and sometimes it looks completely dark, other times I can see an air cell, but mostly I can't really see anything that I can identify.

I wonder if I just need stronger batteries in my flashlight? Or maybe I am just clueless, haha

Tonight was day 11.


Lisa....with no idea whether I will see 1 chick, or 10...or none?

 

[txmel]

I think I am just really not sure what I am seeing when I candle. I sneak out to the nest and pull one egg out from under my broody at a time. I shine the light and sometimes it looks completely dark, other times I can see an air cell, but mostly I can't really see anything that I can identify.

I wonder if I just need stronger batteries in my flashlight? Or maybe I am just clueless, haha

Tonight was day 11.


Lisa....with no idea whether I will see 1 chick, or 10...or none?

check out this thread it shows pics of what the eggs look like at different stages when candleing
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs

 

[WillowChick]

Well, it's day 7. I see air sacks, I see yolk. I see nothing else. I'll candle again at 10 days but things are looking pretty bleak. Not even a vein!