How long is too long?

[KayJay13]

All of the remaining chicks hatched. On the 8 refrigerator eggs that developed, I got 8 chicks I'll attach a picture of them.

 

[hillbillydan]

Absolutely amazing! That makes me happy! How long between taking them out if the refridgerator and setting in the incubator?

Also, at what point can you start candling? I don't want to take the eggs out too much, so I'm thing just Candie each one ince or twice between days 12 and 18? (I'm also helping with a batch at a school of 30+ eggs for a friend) last year the only had a 1/3 of the eggs hatch and that's all we can think of is she candle to many times and too often and the temp dropped too much.

 

[KayJay13]

Absolutely amazing! That makes me happy! How long between taking them out if the refridgerator and setting in the incubator?


Also, at what point can you start candling? I don't want to take the eggs out too much, so I'm thing just Candie each one ince or twice between days 12 and 18? (I'm also helping with a batch at a school of 30+ eggs for a friend) last year the only had a 1/3 of the eggs hatch and that's all we can think of is she candle to many times and too often and the temp dropped too much.

I waited about a full 24 hours honestly.

I candle at day 5. I can usually see nice veining at that point. I do not throw out any eggs though, unless I'm 100% sure they are not developing. I candle again around day 10-12. I usually bring a pencil and make a check mark on for sure developing eggs during each candling. I make a squiggly line for unsure development and an "X" on ones I do not believe are developing. This helps because I can tell a little more each time I candle, also if an egg starts to stink, I can go straight to the ones with "X"s first and see if they are the stinky eggs. I also candle a day or two before lockdown. Any undeveloped eggs for sure get pulled this day. Don't want a chick bumping into an explosive rotten egg!!

So I usually candle 3 times. I hand turn a lot of my eggs and sometimes just check a couple. I work quickly, and very carefully. I try to handle them as little as possible and have them back to heat within 5-10 minutes. A broody will leave the nest for at least that long each day. I also make sure not to accidentally flip an egg over where the pointy side is up, always keeping the air sack up.

Hope this helps some!