Is there a such thing as “too much candling”

[MysteryChicken]

Oh I definitely won’t be messing with them during lockdown at all. More so meant prior to lockdown within the first two weeks. My same thought was that hens hop off the eggs periodically as well. Thank you!!

I check mine on occasion during lock down. Just to make sure everything is positioned properly. Disturbance never seemed to cause an issue.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Have to agree on the egg cracking thing, I’m dreadfully curious and a bit clumsy, have lost a couple!

 

[Perris]

If you watch a broody hen, you will see her turn her eggs very carefully and just a little throughout the day for the first two and a half weeks. People are typically much less gentle or careful.

Shaking or jolting an egg can kill the embryo.

Opening an incubator will mess up the temperature and humidity inside, risking all the embryos in it, not just the one being candled, and obviously the more often you do it, the greater the chance of that.

Take the risks if you want to, to satisfy your curiosity, but then don't be surprised if your hatch rate is rubbish.

 

[Altairsky]

It is better not to candle for the first 7 day, which are the days where the embryo is the most vulnerable. There isn't much to see anyway in the first 7 days.