To Candle or Not to Candle...

[TheSheriffswife]

Just wanted some opinions on Candling..I have heard people say not to candle too much, some say it's OK and I actually have heard some say they do not candle at all..Is that possible to just not candle? I mean if I can get away with not doing it, or just doing it like once..that would be fine.. I am afraid i will drop them.

Just curious as I am close to setting my first eggs in my new Brinsea that is coming today! Yipee!!

 

[PepsNick]

Take my advice and do NOT candle!! People who do it, mostly our hatchaholic friends, swear they cannot stop. I will never candle because I am a worry wart about taking out my eggs and I am already addicted to chickens, I don't need another thing to become obsessed with. But then it's nice if you candle, throw out the duds and make room for more if you're doing a staggered hatch or something.

 

[Heckel's Hens]

It's addicting, but after candling on Day 6, 7, 8 and 9...I am forcing myself to stop. JUST STOP!

 

[Casey76]

I candle twice day 7 and day 18... that's it. it requires much sitting on of hands though

 

[TheSheriffswife]

Quote:
..So it's OK not to candle at all? not once? I am the obssesive type, so I would do best to not do it at all.

 

[gryeyes]

When I started incubating just last August, I did not candle the eggs. I didn't know what I was looking for, despite the great reference photos on the sticky in this forum. Plus, I didn't expect any to hatch the first time - because I was new at it, figured I would do something wrong at some point - so I didn't want more than one disappointment. If I candled and saw dead things, it would be too daunting. 6 of 7 eggs hatched!

Since then, I now candle at about 12 days to remove clear eggs, and sometimes I remember to candle again before lockdown.

 

[columbiacritter]

Not candlng risks having a bad egg blow and spatter the inside with rotting egg. Besides the stench, there is the worry the bacteria will contamiate the whole hatch and either kill the chicks before they hatch or cause infections when they hatch. The stench alone is enough to make candling worth the risk to the eggs.

If you have your bator in a small room you can bring up the heat and humidity in the room so there's less risk when you candle. Our bator is in a small bathroom so we run a hot shower and have a heater in there during candling.

I recommend candling either at 7 or 10 days then again at 18 days. Givien the option, my husband would candle every couple days, but I've threatened to put a lock on the bator if he touches it.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
10 to 12 days for me, maybe again on day 18. I really feel that the less handling, the better. Make sure you wash your hands before and after.

 

[PepsNick]

I forgot about the odor...

 

[Elly_Mae]

Not candle AT ALL?!?!?!

I couldn't do it.......I'm currently on day 4 and the curiosity is driving me nuts!!!!

I barely make it to day 7 and that's it, I can't take it, I HAVE to look!

I usually candle just twice though, days 7 & 14.

- Jen