Problems with not candling?

[Chickens-246]

I just set my first eggs in an incubator and I'm not really knowledgeable on what to look for while candling (light brown eggs).
Is there a problem with not candling and leave all the eggs in the bator for the duration? Is bacteria really a threat to the embryos?

 

[Picco]

When hatching small batches of eggs you do NOT have to candle. Although some of the unfertile eggs will add some bacteria to the incubator, they usually won't effect the rest. Unless the shells are broken most of the bacteria will be contained within the egg. If unfertile eggs are left in the incubator for too long they will explode, making a horrible mess and reducing the hatch rate of the other eggs. Usually if the eggs are fresh when they were placed in the incubator they will not rot enough to cause this kind of problem.

Candling can be easily done just using a flashlight or desklamp and can be a lot of fun. Its interesting seeing life developing inside an egg. On the first day the light shines through the egg giving a yellow glow. Within 3 days you will see blood vessels forming and can see a little heart beating inside. As the days progress you will see a dark mass inside the fertile eggs and this will continue to grow until the day before hatching when almost no light will shine through (except through the air space). If after a few days you see nothing inside an egg it is best to discard it. Just make sure that before candling wash your hands and dry them and always handle the eggs very carefully. If you do some google searches you can find what to look for each day of incubation. Good luck!

 

[TheBigWRanch]

I wouldn't discard of any eggs before day 10. I've even heard it suggested not to remove them until day 18, just to be sure.

 

[jimnjay]

If you are uncertain, and I can understand that, wait till day 10-12. You will be sure about developing chicks at that time. Using a mini mag flashlight is good even a regular flashlight will tell you if you have growth. Discard the infertile eggs at that time. An explosion is something you definately don't want. Why take a chance. It is a terrible mess to clean up and it can ruin the rest of your hatch.

It's like one bad apple spoiling the barrel.

 

[Chickens-246]

Explode! I certainly don't want that happen. So I take it, if they were to explode, it's going to do this sometime after 12 days? The eggs are on day 3.
Is the explosion like a microwave explosion?

 

[jimnjay]

The eggs just has to much pressure from gasses building up and it pops open and spews the insides all over the incubator. I guess it would be like something exploding in the microwave. I have never watched it. I just had a poor broody hen get all messes up and some of her eggs. It stinks up to high heaven. There is no set rule about when they will blow but I have personally not had one go before the last week. The point is to make sure they are not developing and 10-12 days is a good time to do that and then get them out of there prior to that. You can get an egg that is a leaker too and that can happen early on. You will smell it so be alert and check you incubator. jmho

 

[hinkjc]

Backyard Chickens - If you are really uncertain, the best option is to use your nose. You will smell a bad egg long before it explodes. Give the bator a good sniff over every other day and you'll be fine. They will also start to ooze before they explode, so close monitoring of questionable eggs is necessary if you want to prevent an explosion.

As for candling, I candle to weed out clear eggs and blood rings. Blood rings are caused by an embryo starting and then dying sometime during incubation. The blood rings are the most dangerous to keep in there full term, as they will certainly develop bacteria from the deceased embryo. Clear eggs are less dangerous of exploding and I have kept eggs in that I couldn't see inside during candling due to shell thickness and they did not explode (fresh eggs of course, not shipped).

Jody

 

[Chickens-246]

Thanks for the tips on how to candle Picco. Washing hands before is a good idea. I was thinking of using surgical gloves to keep my oils off the eggs, but this may be overkill.

Looks like I will be candling at day 10 then. My original plan was not to open the bator until day 18 to remove them from the egg turner. But like you pointed out on another tread, things needs to reprecate a momma hen and she gets off the nest for refreshments everyday. So I'm going overboard on my original plan. I check the temp and humidity multiple times a day.

Why is hatching so popular? I have to tell you, it's like torture waiting and I have 18 days to go. I have the feeling on day 21, I will have a new TV set to watch.

 

[Chickens-246]

Jody, can someone with an impaired sniffer still smell a bad egg? (For you young folks out there, DON'T smoke, I wish I never started and it's hard to stop)