How do you check for fertility on a newly laid egg?

[Tara Rose]

Quote:
I have been trying to candle my 9 day incubated eggs. I see what looks like yoke and the air sac at the end but that is it. I am worried that they are not developing or are infertile. If I cracked one open what would I see if it was fertile? I am not sure if I am not seeing it or I am wasting energy on infertile eggs. Before starting the incubation I cracked on and saw the bullseye, but someone else incubated some of my eggs and none hatched.

 

[Tara Rose]

oh and do I start counting the day they went in?

 

[Tallybeegirl]

Did you ever try this technique and did it work for you?

 

[Blair75214]

Incubating my first 41 eggs! Learning as I go along... How do I "candle"? I'm a day 6 now - is that too soon? Also, I'm concerned about humidity - I was told to keep it at 50-55% but other places have said lower %. What do you all recommend?

 

[Bryam]

50-55 is what I did with good results. Love to hear other people! Lots of people rave about dry hatches.

 

[buckeyechicken]

Could someone post a picture of what the blastodisc should look like for the newbies to look at for fertile eggs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Fertile Egg Photos
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008&p=6

 

[ShiroChan]

You do not crack the egg, if you crack the egg and there was a chick going to grow in it...well now there isn't.

 

[pasuit]

I have incubated refrigerated eggs. I did this as an experiment and posted it on backyard chickens. I actually got at least a 50% hatch. I just bought silkie eggs on line. The supplier said he candled the eggs for fertility. I set them in incubator today.

 

[sourland]

You can not candle non incubated eggs and determine fertility. Hopefully your eggs are developing.