is it bad if I don't candle?

[kyeschicks]

is it bad if I don't candle? I have 22 eggs in the bator and I can only see 9 embryos growing in white-shelled eggs. And the rest are brown-shelled eggs which I can't see anything!!!! It's very dark in there!!!!! how can I see if they're growing? or if they're dead and have bacteria and they can get the bacteria in the good ones????

 

[MoodyChicken]

Wait till they're older. Dark eggs are hard to see through, but when there's half a chick in there a black mass is pretty unmistakable. Won't hurt if you don't candle either, you just won't know what's happening.

 

[Akane]

You do risk one exploding if you don't candle. Try shining the light through the air sac. You should at least be able to see veins along the edge of it. If there are healthy veins odds are the chick is alive or at least was very recently. After they die the blood runs out to form the blood ring and you won't see good veins anymore. That's the only way I can tell good from bad quail eggs since they are too small and thick shelled to candle normally.

 

[kyeschicks]

Thanks! I do candle were the air sac but still I can't see anything but I will wait till they're older. Only 2 more weeks left! today is day 7