May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[SueT]

I candle day 7, 14, 18... Then I wait till they hatch.

It's not harmful to candle. I've candied every other day before and nothing happened. I had happy and healthy chicks.

well I need to figure out what's happening in the questionable eggs, so will candle and use good camera tomorrow or next day, and post the pics for feedback/advice.

 

[MROO]

I agree! Our oldest is constantly cradling a chicken. I'm surprised I haven't caught them on the couch eating popcorn with their feathers babies watching a movie.

DD used to do it with Herman the House rooster all the time! ... he preferred "no butter!"

 

[CindyinSD]

Day 5---I candled eggs this morning! DH says he will set up tripod and good camera next time, but I used my point and shoot camera, and here's a blurry pic of a Spitzhauben egg.
View attachment 2097102
One white egg had no development at all, and I think it might be a leghorn egg, looking at the shape now that it's out. (The leghorn girls don't like the rooster.) The other white eggs are all like the above.
The Sebright eggs are quite a bit harder to see in, but at least 5 of 7 have veins and embryo showing. I'm not sure what I'm seeing in the other 2. I'll try to get pics in a couple of days.
How often do you candle? Is it harmful for the embryos?

I'm impressed with your pic. I haven't tried, but it seems to me it's challenging to get good candling pics, especially in color. Great job. IME, candling doesn't hurt them. I've been rotating my eggs around the incubators 1X/day to mitigate uneven temperatures in the bators. I candle as I do this. Hens get up (or must be made to) at least once a day. That seems to take longer than candling/rotating does. I love seeing the eggs develop day to day. They grow so fast!

 

[gimmie birdies]

My last batch I didn't candle too much, I had a good hatch, this last batch in incubator, I plan on candling less.

 

[BertyRoux]

I like to wait to candle until day 11. At that point it's very clear who's developing and who isn't.

Signs of quitters could be a blood ring, or a still blob that floats loosely around the egg rather than attached to healthy veins.

Well, I'm not seeing blood rings, just... A lot of dark area in some of them, more than I expected to see at this point. My candler is probably not the brightest. I will have to see if I can get pictures tonight.

 

[ASteelman]

Well, I'm not seeing blood rings, just... A lot of dark area in some of them, more than I expected to see at this point. My candler is probably not the brightest. I will have to see if I can get pictures tonight.

If you're in the market for a new one I bought a Magicfly candler off Amazon and it works great!

When in doubt I always leave eggs in, that is unless they start to smell or weep.

 

[FortCluck]

My husband just bought me a new incubator the same one the farm innovator 4250. I was trying to get a cheaper one but he grabbed the more expensive one and told me I better get hatching We also bought a nice hatchet and got it for free with our rewards coupon.

 

[Vantic]

If you're in the market for a new one I bought a Magicfly candler off Amazon and it works great!

When in doubt I always leave eggs in, that is unless they start to smell or weep.

I have the same candler and would also recommend.

 

[Vantic]

My husband just bought me a new incubator the same one the farm innovator 4250. I was trying to get a cheaper one but he grabbed the more expensive one and told me I better get hatching We also bought a nice hatchet and got it for free with our rewards coupon.

Is the hatchet for the rooster or husband.

 

[FortCluck]

Is the hatchet for the rooster or husband.

Cockerels...

I wouldn't hatchet him after he bought me the forced air incubator instead of still air He's still good for something.