After my first attempt, I don't think I want to go through the whole candling experience again. Last time, I fretted a lot! I was really scared they'd be out of the 'bator too long. From what I hear, candling is reccomended to see growth, but is is really necessary? I want to really plan out attempt number 2 before I start. (My incubator will be the Brinsea Mini Advance)
Well....what if you take up all the room in the incubator and get your hands on some very valueable eggs as a gift.....just a few and you don't have room for them, because you took it all up? Then just think how upset you will be when 15 of them don't even hatch. It would have been nice to see early on that most of them were developing but a little over a dozen weren't and made the room. Also, what if one of them gets nice and ripe and explodes? I don't guess you have to candle, but I certainly will. You can get eggs from an outside source that doesn't really want anyone else to have chickens but him/her....they have people like that. "I paid a lot of money for my chickens and they not going to get a dozen for the price I paid for just one bird!!" I just make sure I work fast. If I have a lot to check, I put them in cartons and take them out the incubator a few at a time....fast. I probably will be in a very warm spot. Its not like I do it everyday. But at least 3 times in the 21 days.
You don't have to candle. I just hatched marans chicks and the eggs were too dark to candle. I like to candle though, because I love to see that there is really growth there. As long as you don't leave them out too long, they can go as much as 15 minutes, easily. Remember, the hen gets off to eat and drink, a few times a day. I use a small led flashlight. it works well, and is quick and easy.
Quote:I think it is absolutely necessary at least once for one good reason. If you have an egg that is infertile or goes bad early and it is heated for so long at about 100 degrees it certainly could explode and contaminate the other eggs - killing the chicks inside. I only candle mine 2X. Once at about 10 days and once when I take out the turner. I would recommend checking them at 10 days at the very least. Just my opinion.
I like to candle so that I can get rid of any infertile eggs before they become rotten and start to seep.
If you dont candle make sure you stick your nose in there from time to time. I just like to know and probably fuss too much. Your eggs would probably appreciate the less aggravation approach
After all these great responses, I think I've decided on just one candling. Maybe 2. Just to be sure. The thought of an exploding rotten egg ruining all the other babies' chances of survivng are enough to convince me! Thanks for all the feedback
I generally only candle if I need space and want to take out the duds, or if I am curious about shipped eggs even then I only do it once or twice. and even then it is just enough to see that the egg is developing (I dont wait to see movement or it "dance" )
I generally candle for three reasons. First is I don't want any bad eggs to explode. Second is so I get more room in the incubator. The third and biggest reason I candle is because I have several different breeding pens and I mark the eggs. By candling I can tell if I have roosters that aren't fertile, and if that's the case, I can replace the rooster with a backup. David
you can do it if you want and not do it if you won't. but i will if i use incubator to hatch egg, if using broody hen i won't do it. beside, hen can't candle the egg but (perhaps) she can *feel* it. like if she left the remaining egg after several days didn't hatch and unfortunately she can be wrong, just like us.
