The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[Pensmaster]

Purty good there!

 

Thanks.
Lavender roo doing his job this time unlike the NY Hal.

First two I candled were blanks. Thought great temps were really bad. Still think they are low but it must be ok. I usually have early hatch so it must be me that's off.

How'd you leghorns do?

 

[junebuggena]

Ok need some input - first time incubation and candling for me - this is day 7 (tonight) and I really don't know what to think lol...thoughts, advice, etc? I will say we saw embryonic movement in MANY of the eggs - some I just couldn't tell yet but had good blood vessels, etc - some were darker and harder to see...I inly had one that I could tell was absolutely clear and I removed it. (So there's now 41 eggs in there - and while these are several pics, it's not pics of all 42 of them

)

Thank you in advance for any advice, tips, info - I'm still somewhat confused by the whole air cell thing / I understand the concept but confused when looking at my eggs, if they're ok or too big/small, etc...

That's because you're candling the wrong end. The fat end is where the air cell is, and looking down, through the air cell, is where you should see veining and maybe even a tiny chick floating around.

 

[flocktastic]

That's because you're candling the wrong end. The fat end is where the air cell is, and looking down, through the air cell, is where you should see veining and maybe even a tiny chick floating around.

So these hav been point down (fat end up) in the incubator but when candling I'm supposed to turn them all the way over and candle the fat end? I had watched some videos and read on a few sites and it appeared people were candling point down with fat end up still?

I figured turning it over would disrupt it....yeesh...so I essentially just wasted my entire candling session tonight?

I only had the bator open about 12 mins...re-do?? Or wait till day 10 now??? Yeesh...talk about newbie mistakes...

 

[Saris]

So these hav been point down (fat end up) in the incubator but when candling I'm supposed to turn them all the way over and candle the fat end? I had watched some videos and read on a few sites and it appeared people were candling point down with fat end up still?

I figured turning it over would disrupt it....yeesh...so I essentially just wasted my entire candling session tonight?

I only had the bator open about 12 mins...re-do?? Or wait till day 10 now??? Yeesh...talk about newbie mistakes...

If they are in an auto turner you can leave them in and candle from the top down.

 

[junebuggena]

No. You're supposed to keep them pointed end down and shine your light from the fat end, down into the egg, not up into the egg.

 

[flocktastic]

((Currently beating my head against a wall...))

 

[flocktastic]

They're in an auto turner (that's still working thankfully...had issues earlier!)

 

[Saris]

They're in an auto turner (that's still working thankfully...had issues earlier!)

Here is how I candle.

 

[junebuggena]

And don't worry so much about handling them. Broody hens let off the nest for about a half hour every day. It's okay to re candle.

 

[cree57i]

So these hav been point down (fat end up) in the incubator but when candling I'm supposed to turn them all the way over and candle the fat end? I had watched some videos and read on a few sites and it appeared people were candling point down with fat end up still?

I figured turning it over would disrupt it....yeesh...so I essentially just wasted my entire candling session tonight?

I only had the bator open about 12 mins...re-do?? Or wait till day 10 now??? Yeesh...talk about newbie mistakes...

I think you are pretty awesome to be able to get those pictures! I can never get candling pictures. It looks like the candler you are using is one of those you sit the egg in pointy end down? I use one of those kind only for really opaque eggs and at the same time I use another candler from the top. That gives a better look for dark eggs. Now days I don't take them out of the incubator to candle unless there is no other way. You can put your light on the fat end while they are in the incubator and see the veining. If you have veins, at this stage, then you have a swimmer. I don't want to disrupt them too much this early though. As for having them open, after day 7 it actually improves your hatch for them to have a 'cool down' time daily. So you don't have to worry a lot about that until lock down. Don't be in too big of a hurry to toss eggs either. I candled 2 days ago and thought I was going to have a horrible hatch with my shipped eggs. Candled tonight and it has improved to just a bad hatch! LOL! 4 out of 13 in one group, 3 out of 6 in another group and 9 out of 13 in the last group with 2 very questionables.
Some people don't candle until lockdown and others have inquiring minds and candle all the time. Just be sure to wash your hands before touching the eggs and don't drop them! You are doing great!