Newbie Candler - What did I see?

[silkiechicken]

If your light is not bright enough to see any veins, the dark mass of an embryo has not yet gone beyond the size of the yolk sac was initially. It will be about day 10 where the embryo will reach the aproximate size of the yolk, and where the developing tissues will be casing a significantly darker shadow than that of a yolk. If you had a very bright light, you could probably see more. I would wait till day 10 or 14 to candle again with dark eggs.


By day 11, any movement is likly the whole embryo rotating around. The heart is encapsulated into the chick's body by day 4 or so if I remember right. If you want to see the actual heart beating, crack open a 2-3 day old incunbated egg and you can see blood coursing through the heart which is still on the outside of the chick.

 

[koakritters]

how bright of a light do you recommend for brown eggs? I have a 75watt bulb and I am just starting to see veining on some, but I've been able to see somethign moving for a couple days.

 

[silkiechicken]

It's not just brightness per se, it is also directional brightness. You want a directed point light source like a projector. I use a 300 lumen flashlight that has a 1 inch face... so all 300 lumens goes out of a 1 inch circle that can be directed through an egg.

 

[koakritters]

i have a carboard box that has about an 1inch and a half or so hole in it, just big enough to sit the egg on without it falling through.

 

[karmlacres]

I didn't see this post -- I just posted something similar. I am also on day 4 and I saw what this OP saw.... dark masss below the air sac. I'm going to go review the sticky. I thought I should see something on day 4 per the incubator's instructions. I'lll try again in a few days. My post also had some temp questions. Doubting my setup a bit. Good luck OP on your hatch!