Temperature in my bator got to 126. :-(

[MeepBeep]

I just read somewhere not to candle between 11 & 14 days so not to interrupt the embryo which is moving at the length axis of the egg during these days. So much to remember!!!!

Don't bother remembering that one... Candling an egg does no harm at any stage as long as you use clean hands, handle the egg gently and don't let it cool down for too long (anything under 30 minutes should be perfectly fine)... You can candle day 1 through day 21+, multiple times a day if you really desire, no harm or foul... Broody hens turn the eggs all day and night from day one until they hatch, and they are not always that gentle about it, they move the eggs generally 50+ times a day, and they get off the eggs regularly every day to eat and drink... Nature doesn't follow a set of incubation rules, and incubators are tame compared to what a broody bird does to the eggs

 

[ChickadeeNMe]

Hey there. I just candled my eggs and to be honest, I couldn't see anything at all. I didn't even see an air sac. I've got a box with a flood light in it (72 watt and 1350 lumens) with a 1 inch hole to place the egg on. I can't see any veins, no embryo, no air sac, nothing. Maybe in a couple I might have seen a dark mass in it, but I can't be sure. There is no smell at all. That kid cranked up my incubator to 126. What are the chances they would have survived that? I don't know if I should throw them out or wait. I'm thinking I'll wait because they are black copper maran eggs and they're really dark so I can't be 100% sure. Maybe I'll try a bigger light. . but I didn't even see any veins! I'm so disappointed, but I sort of expected it after the kid tampered with my bator. Dang it, I was so excited.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Ma hen hatched out 4 of 4 fertile eggs, I replaced with eggs from incubator. 6 that were starting to go in air cells the rest due next week. tonight there were 4 fully in air cells peeping, one pip.

 

[sumi]

@ChickadeeNMe I see it's been a few days since you tried candling. Have you tried again since? I had a really strange experience some time ago with some white shelled eggs under a broody hen. I could not see a thing resembling an embryo or veins in those eggs for more than 2 weeks. At day 20 I saw some darkish mass in some of the eggs and decided to look for some chicks for her to adopt instead. The eggs started hatching the next day and we got a 100% hatch. I used a good light for candling and I have candled many times before, so I'm at a loss as to why I couldn't see anything, but that taught me to be patient and always make 100% sure before tossing any eggs. No matter what they went through during the incubation, because you never know.

 

[ChickadeeNMe]

Hey there! We candled last night at day 15 and we did see some dark mass in some of them so it looks like they are developing. None of them have a bad odor as well so I'm leaving them all in. I'll keep you posted. Thanks so much!!

 

[sumi]

They are due to hatch soon, aren't they?

ETA: Oops, you said day 15. Sorry I checked your first post was 2 weeks ago and they were day 3. Only a few more days and then we'll know…. Keeping fingers, toes and eyes crossed over here!

 

[gimmie birdies]

16/17



staggered hatch 16/17 total.

 

[ChickadeeNMe]

Wow! Congrats on your new hatches! Did you have 2 sets of eggs in your bator? I got more eggs to add to the existing eggs after that temperature mishap. I really didn't think any of these would hatch.. But now I think they might. I have to go buy another incubator for lockdown. Lockdown for the first batch starts tomorrow!!

 

[sumi]

 

[gimmie birdies]

mine was staggered.

these are the last 3. 16/17 hatched. and we suffered 2 black outs as well.