Is candling chicken eggs on day 3 too early?

[Haigans]

I’m on day 3 of incubation… I candled today and saw air cells but I’m not sure if that means anything. Am I suppose to see veins today or when? Please help. First time incubating chicken eggs, I’ve done quail before but hardly saw anything because of the shells so I’m not sure what I’m suppose to be seeing. Thank you

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What color? Light cream and white, not usually. Any other color, yes, too early

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You have to be super careful though not to shake or turn the egg sharply. They're still incredibly fragile at that time

 

[Haigans]

What color? Light cream and white, not usually. Any other color, yes, too early

Whites & one brown.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Whites & one brown.

Brown won't be possible for at least a week, likely longer without a super bright light. Whites you should be able to, but dont toss if you don't and recandle at a week

 

[Miss Cheep]

Usually you won't see veins until day 6 or 7. The egg will get darker and darker with more and more veins until it's totally dark at day 19 with only the air sac visible.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m on day 3 of incubation… I candled today and saw air cells but I’m not sure if that means anything. Am I suppose to see veins today or when?

The air cell is formed right after the egg is laid and the egg cools off some. It will continue to grow as the egg loses moisture whether or not there is a developing chick in there. It's useful to determine how much moisture has been lost but just having an air cell doesn't mean anything one way or another.


If you have white eggs and good candling equipment and technique you might see some veins on the third day, experience could help with that. But with blue, green, or brown eggs it could be really hard. There is nothing wrong with trying it, that's how you learn. But don't make any decisions on what you see on Day 3.

I’m not sure what I’m suppose to be seeing.

If you do an internet search you can find charts of what you should be seeing. Just like everything else on the internet don't take the first one you see as correct, some are better quality than others.

 

[Kelsykin]

I have white, green, brown, and blue eggs. I candle my eggs the day I set them. Then I candle again on either day 5 or 7. My next candling is usually lockdown.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Brown won't be possible for at least a week, likely longer without a super bright light. Whites you should be able to, but dont toss if you don't and recandle at a week

I candle as early as day 1-3 with brown eggs, & usually see the first signs of development.
Day 1, is a reddish orange sphere on yolk.

Day 3, tiny bean shaped embryo with starting of vessels.

I maybe able to demonstrate this year.

 

[emily_snow707]

I’m on day 3 of incubation… I candled today and saw air cells but I’m not sure if that means anything. Am I suppose to see veins today or when? Please help. First time incubating chicken eggs, I’ve done quail before but hardly saw anything because of the shells so I’m not sure what I’m suppose to be seeing. Thank you

I usually candle my eggs at day 3, 7, and 14. Day 3 I sometimes see little veins but other times I see nothing. Day 7 is when you should see some major veins.