When should I candle the eggs?

[chick peeps]

I just placed 10 fertilized eggs under my broody hen today and I was wondering what days should I candle them to make sure they are developing. I need help!

 

[ChickenRisa]

I just put eggs under my first broody yesterday and have the same question!

 

[keddy]

if you no your eggs are fertilized and your hen is broody just wait for 21 days and you gonna see your sweet chicks

 

[chick peeps]

That wasn't what I was looking for. I really need to know so I can get rid of the eggs that don't develop. Please?! does anyone know?

 

[mandabach]

At seven days you should be able to see development for sure. Do some research and look for pictures so you know what you are looking for.

 

[chick peeps]

Thanks! Should I candle them any after that?

 

[mandabach]

I don't know if you need to when you're using a broody hen rather than an incubator. Search these forums and other sources. There is a ton of information out there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Candling can be a lot of fun and is certainly interesting, but I never candle eggs under a broody. I usually candle eggs in an incubator after seven full days of development and again when I go into lockdown. After seven days I can see development in some of my eggs. The really dark ones and especially the green ones can be real hard to see inside.

I never toss an egg after the seven day candling. I mark them to see what I think but wait until after 18 days to remove any clears. It took a little practice but if I can see inside an egg at seven days I can usually tell if it is developing but occasionally I still make a mistake. That’s why I wait until lockdown to toss any. By then it’s pretty obvious, even in the green ones.

I have 15 green ones in the incubator right now, due to go into lockdown Saturday. I haven’t bothered to candle them, with them being green I couldn’t see much anyway. But I’ll check for clears when I lock down.

Others will have totally different schedules. Candling is pure personal preference. The eggs will hatch fine whether you candle or not.

 

[ChickenRisa]

Someone posted in my broody hen thread to candle every seven days and toss out ones not growing after 14 days. Sounds pretty similar to ridgerunner's advice.

 

[chick peeps]

Thanks. The only reason I want to candle them is because I got the eggs from a farm that has one roo and 10 or more hens (I'm not sure how many hens). So I just was thinking the roo might not have been able to get to all of them. But if the eggs aren't developing won't they start to rot and stink? I just don't want her to be sitting on rotting or unfertilized eggs.