wondering...do i have to candle my eggs? i really dont want to do anything to mess this up as it is my first time hatching. TIA
No...you don't HAVE to candle. However, you will be waiting 21 days not knowing if your eggs even contain chicks. If you aren't sure how to candle, I would wait until day 14 and do it only once. If the egg looks clear, it doesn't have a chick in it. By day 14 the chick is very large. YOu should be able to see a large dark object taking up a lot of the shell space. You will probably see the chick move and you will probably be able to see veins on the inside of the shell.
otg is right - you don't have to but it can be really exciting to do so! i would recommend you candle at least one egg just for the thrill/wonder of seeing that little chick moving around LIVE in the shell. it's such an awesome feeling. what i do when i candle is i do it right next to the bator on a towel folded several times over so that if i drop the eggie it won't break. i do it FAST (but gentle!) and put it back into the bator exactly as i took it out. be careful, once you candle an egg you will want to do it again! good luck and welcome to the addiction!