How often do you candle?

[Frizzle Farmer]

Sometimes I feel like I candle my eggs too often during the first 18 days. I only let myself candle 3 times this clutch (on day 13) and its killing me! I would look at them every night if I could. Do you guys think candling could hurt an egg, other then the obvious letting out heat and humidity?

 

[homesteadmomma]

I just set my first eggs this evening and I'm wondering the same. Hen would leave the next from a few minutes to a couple hours it seems, so I don't know why it would hurt too much???

 

[pdsavage]

The more I messed with my eggs the worse the worse the hatch.So Inow only check them about day 7-10,day 14 and day 18.
Its hard not to look at them all the time but if it means a better hatch then I will leave em alone.

 

[ScissorChick]

Hi HutsonHeritage, Welcome to Back Yard Chickens!

I do agree with pdsavage. And usually I'M the one to over candle, haha!

Usually it's best to candle once on day 7 or 10 (depending on egg color)

and then on day 18 right before they go into lockdown. It's what I did with

this year's hatch, got an amazing hatch rate. Everybody has different

opinions with this though. Some say candle everyday until day 18, others

don't candle at all. Good luck!

 

[Frizzle Farmer]

Maybe I'll lay off the candling then! I always get horrible hatch rates, but this time I've been candling less, and see more live chicks! I thought maybe it was a coincidence, but probably just kidding myself

 

[Debbienmousey]

I know, I can hardly stop myself from candling them all the time too..but I've tried REALLY hard this time not to, and so far I've only candled them once (At 10 days), and today is day 18 so I'll candle them again and take 'em out of the turner..I'm so excited! But I do think the less you handle them the better the hatch rate. Of course..knowing what they go through under the mama does make you wonder if it even matters lol.

Goodluck on your hatch!

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

I too candle around 10 days and when removing from the turner. Then again for unhatched eggs when it seems the rest are done.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I do the same thing. On my first hatch I candled nearly every day to see the development.

 

[nicoletm24]

I don't touch them til day 10...UNLESS I smell a good rotten one...then I HAVE to get it out.

But normally, I'll candle day 10, and day 18...and it's always worked for me