What should they look like on day 18?

[FrontPorchIndiana]

If I candle the eggs, how much of the egg should the embryo take up at this point? All of it except the air sack? I don't have a fancy candler so I'm trying to judge by using a flash light. I see a really dark mass in the middle but it gets lighter towards the bottom. Is that normal?

 

[YoungMommaCass]

I candled mine using my bedside lamp with a 150 watt bulb. I happened to have a cardboard box that fit over it perfectly so I just cut a little hole in it.

At 18 days my eggs were pretty dark. The air sac let the light shine through pretty well at that end, but the rest was pretty dark looking. I was able to see movement on a few of my eggs but not nearly as easy as the week prior.

 

[speckledhen]

Most of the egg will just be dark except the aircell, when you tilt the cell toward the light, and perhaps the very tip of the pointy end. Are you already on Day 18 with my eggs? Can't be! So quick?

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

SO QUICK????? Good grief woman, it feels like it's been months on my end.

 

[speckledhen]

It just feels quick because it's your hatch, not mine, LOL! Wow, you're really close now! Awesome! Now, I'm anxious! Thanks a heap, Christine.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

So I went ahead and candled them all. All the WC Black Polish from Crunchy seem a little smallish. The Barred Rocks though are full size and I actually saw one moving!

I wonder if it's the difference in the breed? I hope the little polish ones are o.k. I really want some of those because they make me laugh.

 

[speckledhen]

Can't say about Polish, never had any, but I think they should about fill up their eggs, just like the BRs fill up theirs. Hope you have a great hatch and in a couple days, we see lots of cute chickie pics!