when candling white breeds

[marymac]

I'm new to candling,and don't know if I should pitch them or keep them. I have a few eggs that look like there is nothing going on inside, but they look like there could be an air sack in the top of them. I candled last night and out of 12 there are 3 that look like this. They are from a white chicken and I wondered if their developing embryo is light compared to darker breeds, therefore harder to distinguish. They really look like they are clear and I see no movement or any thing. What should I do? I see no movement in any as far as that goes.

 

[Marie1234]

What day are you on? When you are candling what you are seeing when you see a chick is the "absence of light" meaning that something, i.e., the chick, is blocking the light from going straight through. It shouldn't depend on the color of the breed. If you are seeing no veins, and no mass you have a clear egg that was never fertile or did not begin to incubate for some reason. Best to make the decision about what to toss from incubator at 10 days if you have little experience or do not have good candling light. If the shells themselves are very dark then it can be nearly impossible to see anything in the best of circumstances.
The air sac itself is just proof of evaporation and shows how much moisture has been passed through the shell. It can be used to measure and assess if humidity is too high/low for the number of days the egg has been in the incubation process but does not have anything to do with fertility.
Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Motherof4]

what day are you on?

 

[marymac]

I am on day 17 today. Also there is 1 egg that looks as though the air sack is side ways.

 

[thechickonthehill]

Marymac - here is my suggestion: Since you are on day 17, just leave the questionable eggs in, as long as they aren't stinky smelling. (Obviously, if they stink, there is not a viable chick inside.) Mark them in pencil with a question mark so you can tell them from your others. Then, if they don't hatch by day 23, open them up (outside!) to see what they look like. This way, you learn to relate what you see when you candle with what is going on inside the eggs. Also, if you are mistaken, you haven't killed a perfectly healthy chick due to inexperience.

 

[marymac]

Quote:
This sounds like a good idea!!. They have no odor as yet, and like you say it would be a learning experience for me. Thanks.

 

[bel]

By day 17 you will definately be seeing veining and a dark mass in any eggs that developed, no matter what color the chicks are.
So if you aren't seeing veining or a dark mass its most likely a clear that never developed.

Probably wont hurt to leave questionable eggs if they are not stinky or showing a blood ring, be sure to also watch for shiny spots on the clear eggs which is weeping (get those out fast)