Is it bad to handle eggs too much?

[Teresaann24]

I am on day 7 in my incubation I am learning and turning by hand. I have candled every night for the past 7 days to watch how the eggs change in just a matter of a day. Someone told me it was bad for me to handle the eggs so much? Is this true? and by me turning them by hand have i always messed up this hatch?

 

[Chickenteacher]

Nah, I don't think you have messed up....Just be sensible...surely you're not handling them with toxic waste on your hands....are ya?

 

[needtohatch]

Hens don't sit still for 21 days, so the eggs would not either. Just make sure your hands are clean and move them slow and gently. I can't get enough candling either!

 

[Mrs. Turbo]

we just wash our hands before turning, no worries.

 

[Teresaann24]

Good I use that hand sanitizing stuff before and after everytime I touch them..LOL I think now though I will hold off on candling so much and wait till day 18 to candle again.

 

[BawGock]

I handled my first hatch way too much and had 11 out of 12 hatch perfectly.
Now on my second hatch I'm not touching them at all and had to cull 6 out of 24 at day 7 when I candled, 2 infertiles and 4 blood rings.
But I do have to add that 12 of these are shipped eggs though half my culls came from my own 12 eggs.
So go figure!

Carolyn

 

[jay1995]

I was wondering the same thing because I have a little egg who is moving and I just wanted to watch him grow. Cool! Thanks, -Jay

 

[william9792]

i have found that the more i candle the eggs, the lower my hatch rate is. but i have seen others post they candle them each day

 

[al6517]

I recently went to visit a friend in the hospital, and got a whole box of those blue latex gloves, I plan to use these when handling eggs for candling and when ever.

AL

 

[Chic Chick]

I had one egg marked and always took that one out to candle to see the development in progress. That was 1 of 4 eggs that didn't hatch.