When to cull eggs

[Imagesoart]

I was wondering if anyone just forgoes candling. It wonder if all that checking could harm the development of the eggs. I mean, I rarely see the chickens in the coop with a flashlight checking their eggs! LOL

 

[Mrs MIA]

It's not really necessary, no. And I personally don't think it affects development as long as you're not shaking them like maracas.

I've gotten interrupted while candling, and forgotten to put the eggs back in the incubator for 10-24 hours with apparently no decrease in viability. Other than a curiosity to see the developing embryo, the only reason I candle is to verify fertility since I sell eggs on a weekly basis, or to make more room in my 1502.

The saddest mistake you can make is to remove the eggs too soon... I recently read that someone candled at day 5, only saw veins in a couple of eggs, so they tossed the rest. I've had eggs with question marks on them until day 8 or 9 before I had real strong veining and was sure. Nothing worse than cracking open an egg you thought had died and seeing that little embryo take a breath.

 

[Imagesoart]

Is there a reason to wait until day ten? I sometimes get anxious and want to candle at day 8. I usually don't throw out any eggs, unless they are clear. I just had a really bad hatch. Only one of about 24 eggs. I did have some shipped eggs, come with two that were cracked and smelled bad. Then about 5 days later two more were seeping. Two days later, one almost exploded. Could that have impaired my hatch?

I just got more eggs, and one was cracked, but no smell, just a fresh egg. (that makes me wonder if the first eggs I got with the smell, were old)

I have them in the incubator (day two) and all is good, but the humidity is too high. Don't know how to get it down, once the water is already in there! It should go down in a another day. Should I make an effort to get the humidity down today? It is at about 60%. Don't know why...

Just trying to get a better hatch this time...

BTW, I felt I had to buy my little hatchling a friend. I did so, and I think she is much happier!

 

[Mrs MIA]

If the humidity is too high, then remove the water from the incubator. It's ok to "dry hatch".

I always candle shipped eggs often, to try to detect any odor or weeping. But if they're not stinky or weeping, I just leave them in. If the cracked eggs are leaking when I receive them, I will toss them. If the outer shell is cracked slightly, but the inner membrane is intact, I will seal it with unscented plain wax and try to incubate anyway.

I've actually saved quite a few eggs that way.