To candle or not to candle....

[chikenlady]

I have never candled before. On my new hatch I am really wanting to, but wonder if it is safe to open the incubator. I have read that people think they have ruined a hatch by opening the incubator.

Those of you that candle...how do you do it without ruining your hatch??

Please share...

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

We candled the first time on day 14. Then I read a post on here by panner123 that you shouldn't candle until day 18. This time we candled as we took the turner out. So far everything has gone very well this time. We took 8 clears out that left 33 and so far 18 have hatched with more pipping. DD also put 7 eggs in 2 days after I set the first ones so they still have 2 days to go. I think its up to you whatever you feel is right.

 

[tonini3059]

I candled almost everyday when I first began hatching. I thought it was so meat seeing the little guys moving around in there. I haven't so much now that I have been busy. But my earlier hatches that I candled hatched better than the ones now. What I did was take one egg out at a time and left the lid shut and did it very quickly. I do not believe it killed the babies, mother chicks get off of the nest to eat and drink so what does candling hurt?
I would do it!!

 

[chikenlady]

Thanks for your ideas. I will try and candle very quickly and carefully.

I wonder why some posters say that opening the lid killed their hatch?? Maybe they let the temp. go way down?? Not sure!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
I think what you are talking about is when folks open their incubators after day 18. It seems I remember reading that it isn't simply the humidity that escapes from the incubator but that also the eggs themselves lose internal humidity/moisture *very* quickly when drier outside air hits them causing membranes to dry out and prevent the chicks from pipping through it, causing chicks to be shrink-wrapped in sticky goo, etc.,.

Whatever the case, it is definitely recommended NOT to open the incubator during the last three days. Even opening the incubator to move chicks to a brooder while other eggs are hatching is frowned upon unless something very dire is happening.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Ducklove334]

I used to candle every darned day!...with no luck

, they'd never hatch.

now I got an egg turner, I candle every 3-6 days, just to make sure everyone is growing right, I musta did something right, just had a baby hatch (ok, Albeit foster momma did most of the work,I only watched the last four days), with more sounding like they are pipping, I hear little cracks. and some more due to hatch monday.

ducklings due saturday, some more chicks due saturday as well.

and I just set some new eggs^^

 

[Intheswamp]

I might add that candling from day 1-18 is considered ok, though candling everyday seems a little bit..., well,...shall we say...symptomatic of addiction.

Ed

 

[FlashPointFarm]

You can open it while incubating. I hand turn my eggs in cartons 3-4 times per day and take the lid off completely. I do have a forced air incubator, so it would make more of a difference if you were using a thermal air incubator.

I candle at day 7, 14, and 18 when I move them to the hatcher. I don't open the hatcher until everyone is done coming out. I had 20 out of 22 chicks hatch with the last clutch. So it doesn't hurt them.

Also, when I candle, I take the entire dozen in the carton into my bathroom with no windows to candle. They are fine. Those little guys are tougher than we give them credit for.

 

[Suellyn]

I candled a lot... it was incredible to see the little chickies bouncing around & growing in there, and my daughters (ages 4 & 7) were mesmerized, was absolutely one of our favorite parts of incubation.

Also, like mentioned above, the hen gets off the nest for a few minutes every day (EXCEPT for the last 3 days), so I figure I am imitating THAT, no harm done if quick & gentle.

I've always kinda wondered if the daily "cool down and increased ventilation" period that the eggs get when incubated naturally actually benefits them??????

Anyway, had a very successful hatch (90%) even with all the candling.

Oh, and the candling kinda WAS addictive, like Intheswamp said...

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

No expert here as I only have hatched out one batch of eggs.

I candled every day from 4-18 -- I loved to see the little babies moving in the egg

I admit, I was addicted to this incubator for the whole 20 days it took to hatch them!

I get up in the middle of the night several times to check on it.

Out of 6 fertile eggs, 5 hatched with the 6th pipping and then stopping. So I had a good outcome.