Using slide projector to candle dark brown Black Java eggs?

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Crowing
13 Years
Apr 14, 2011
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suburbia Chicagoland
These girls of mine must lay dark brown leather eggs?!

I've got 2 broody hens sitting on 11 Black Java eggs (5hens, 5 possible mom's). I've tried candling with a t.p. tube and a 7-light LED flashlight - the brightest one in the house - and was able to see in 3 of the 11 eggs to know the air sac was developing and even saw a shadow in one of the lighter eggs.

We're heading up to day 15 for some of these eggs and I REALLY want to know what's going on (and if any are viable). I've read about using a slide projector (we have one) to candle with....but I'm confused.

How do you set up the slide projector to see inside the egg? (using the light alone - using a tube to focus the light - what?!). Our rooster is REALLY not pleased about us 'disturbing' his girls - so this has to be a sly and quick "operation", think stealth candling!

Advice needed please!
Thank you so much!
 
I tape a donut shaped piece of black foam rubber to the front of the lens so all the light goes into the egg. If light is leaking it will make it difficult to see in. No focusing is necessary. Hold the large end of the egg to the foam so the light enters the air cell first. Candle in a darkened place and try to avoid looking at the bright light as much as possible so your eyes don't have to adjust each time you look at an egg.
 
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Thank you for the tips!

I was holding the egg horizontal (air sac to the side, neither up nor down) and trying to candle through the center of the egg. That's one reason it wasn't working well.

I'm sure I've got some black foam around here somewhere to create a better ring. The whole t.p. tube taped to the front of the lens wasn't working, as it was too long and too floppy. Something shorter and able to conform to the shape of the egg would be much much better.

Thank you again!
 

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