What is the earliest you can see veins?

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Can you see them on day 4 or 5? My flashlight is very bright and I can see the yolk and the aircell but no veins in any of them. Some are Silkie eggs...the rest are unknowns but brown.

 

[tiffanyh]

Yes and no...you can definatley see them by day 7. Once you are used to looking at them and if you have lighter eggs, you can start to notice them earlier....

 

[seriousbill]

You can see veins at day 4 even with brown eggs if you have a very good candler and you know what you're looking for: looks like a small red spider. A lot of people wait til day 7, but I really love to watch that red spider roll up as I turn the egg. For me, it's the best and most dramatic part of candling.

Good luck!

 

[SusanJoM]

Quote:
What IS a very good candler, puleeze???

Susan

 

[tiffanyh]

I think by a very good candler she/he means a strong light...

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I am using a 3 watt LED flashlight that puts out 80 lumens. It's as bright as I could find at 3 different stores.

I'll hang in 3-4 more days...Certainly I should be able to see them by then. If not, we'll just start over!

I did have a couple of wild temp swings the first couple of days...that could have done them in.

 

[Smoky73]

I can also see them at day 3 or 4. If you see nothing by day 7 I say they won't do anything.

 

[coopist]

A good candler would be one that you can use to see through even dark-shelled eggs:

Like these:

http://www.brinsea.com/products/egglume.html

Or, for way less money, you can use the strongest fluorescent bulb you can find in a small lamp with a cardboard box over it, with a hole cut in at the top. Works pretty well.

Me, I use a hunter's spotlight with a box over it. Also works pretty well. Some use a terra cotta flower pot, though, and that helps with the heat.

 

[SusanJoM]

Quote:
LOL.

I did understand that part. What I was getting at is what he/she considered a very good candler. As a newbie to candling, I figure I need the best tools available so that what is available to be seen CAN be seen.

To date I have tried two methods that seem pretty good: I have upgraded my mini-mag to a LED, and I built a light box using a paint can and a fluorescent floodlight.

Problem with my attempts to learn candling is that I started with Ameraucana eggs.....oooooof.

Susan

 

[yotetrapper]

<<I can also see them at day 3 or 4. If you see nothing by day 7 I say they won't do anything.>>

I beg to differ. I saw absolutely nothing at day 7. If I had given up on them then, I wouldn't have the 22 chicks on my kitchen table now. By day 10, I could clearly see them though.