I think I'm addicted to candling!

[Kristy in WA]

Tomorrow is Day 7. I have never candled before. I'm really nervous. Do I do it at night? Help me become an addict too! Kristy

 

[aberfitch]

Quote:
Phew that's good to know, thanks for the reassurance! My sensor isn't exactly at the top of the eggs, so I've been kinda nervous about the temps and stuff. There really are a bunch of veins in there though. My eggs are from BBS bantam orps so they're pretty easy to see through with a bright LED flashlight, except for one egg, which is darker and speckled for some reason. It's so dark I can't really see veining, but I do see a mass where embryo is located for the other eggs so I think that one's doing good too.

Advice: to be sure about the temp always calibrate with a manual glass/mercury or spirit thermo. You don't want to go through a month of worring and find out you were a little too warm or a little too cool. Either flucuations cause major problems.

 

[AK Michelle]

Quote:
Don't worry Kristy, there's plenty of enablers right here to help you.

I candle at night because my bathroom doesn't have a shade. (Love livin out in the middle of nowhere, where my neighbors can't even see my house!!!)

Once it's dark in the room I turn on my little light (sample on my BYC page) then I unplug the heating light in my bator, lift the lid and I can hold my light right to the end of the egg and check on the occupants either before or after I turn them.

I only have a dozen (although I'm on my way to pick up more) so it only takes a few minutes to note that everyone is moving and turned and then back goes the lid and on goes the light. The air temp only moves about 4 degrees but the wiggler temp only ever varies 0.2 degrees so I think I'm ok. The air temp takes about 5-8 minutes to come back up and then it holds steady.

What part of WA are you in?

Michelle

 

[SpunkyChicken]

Quote:
I did calibrate the thermometer with with a medical one as suggested by another BYC member, by sticking the sensor in a ball of clay and then sticking the tip of the med thermometer into the clay. It read a 1.3-degree difference, so that's what I've been basing the temp off of (99.7 = 101). I do want to get a mercury thermometer in there as well, though, just to feel double sure!

 

[chickenlove2009]

Quote:
trust me you dont't......ha ha.

look day 7 and 14. those are the best days.

day 14 is what got me addicted ( i saw a little embro moving, it was so cute! )

i do mine in my bathroom (no windows) so its completely dark at noon (yes/ it only helps to feed my addiction)

 

[77horses]

same here! Candling eggs is really interesting because everyday it seems like they grow a little more; and I love watching the small embryo bounce around in there1 It's so fun to watch.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I sit when I candle. I hear to often of people that drop there eggs while candling.

 

[Bridgette1221]

Ok so I'm new to this whole chicken thing (boy do I miss my grandparents) and have what will probably sound like a completely stupid question, well questions. First, can you eat fertile eggs? I mean, how does one know if you are just collecting eggs that a rooster hasnt had his way and if he has is it still ok to eat them. Secondly, if you decided you wanted chics why do you have to incubate them.... why cant you let the mother do its thing as nature intended?

 

[ginbart]

I had 101 eggs in my bator. On day 4 I had to candle too. Now I'm down to 99. I have my eggs in an egg carton so I put my light right on top of my eggs and I turn them with the light. Well today is day 10 and I think I need to candle them. But I'm not addictededededed or anything like that.

 

[AK Michelle]

Quote:
yes you can eat fertile eggs, They're not baby chicks, not until you incubate them.

I incubate because I don't have any chickens. You can let mommy do it, some do a great job. Others don't. I got the cart before the horse, or I should say the chick before the hen so I am doing the artificial way.

Either way, welcome and good luck!
Michelle