I was told to only candle 3 times total over the 21 days. I am incubating bantams. Since it is my first attempt ever I am quite curious as to see what happens inside the egg. As long as I am quick and smooth is it ok to candle more often? once a day? what do all you experts say out there on the forum I have 28 eggs, I have not candled all at once, did two rows one day and then the other two roes the next. thank you
i only candle at days 10, 14 if air cells were too big at day ten, and then at day 18 when i take my turner out. from my experience if i candle to much it hurts my hatch rate. william
The more you handle the eggs the lower your hatch rate will be. While eggs are being candled they are exposed to bacteria and chemicals on your hands and the incubator looses heat and humidity. It sounds scary but I'm not sure how much the hatch rate is actually affected. At first I candled some eggs everyday to track development and I still had decent hatches. As long as you wash your hands well and are quick and gentle I don't see much harm in doing it daily.
I've noticed no effect of candling on my hatch rates. I candled every day when I set my first eggs from my own flock and got 90%. Then I candled every day when I set just 2 eggs from my btb hen and 1 hatched, 1 didn't due to a humidity spike because I was using the same incubator for chickens and quail which hatch on different days. Then I've candled only 3 times on other eggs and had only 50% hatch rates. So long as you aren't treating eggs rough or keeping them out of the incubator for an extended period of time (more than 10-15mins) it should not impact the chicks at all. Candle all you want. Just don't act quickly. If you aren't sure what you see put the egg back and try again in a couple more days.
Because it is our homeschool project and our first time hatching, we were curious hatchers as well. My kids were extremely curious so good or bad, we candled from day 4 to day 18 almost everyday. We are pipping today and mom is really nervous. We will post new photos to our page later today! . Good luck
you can candle ever day if ya want,, it isnt "bad" for the egg, in fact most of the experts say the fresh air is good for them,,, theres no difference in you candling every day, and the hen getting up and going to eat and poo while their sitting on the nest. dont do it with grease on ya hands,, but dont worry too much bout germs,, can ya imagine how clean a hen is,,, and she sits on em,, lol
