Topic of the Week - Candling Eggs

[eatwhatyougrow]

Trolls steal all the flashlights in our home so I use the efficent handy flashlight on my I phone. Works great, just set the egg on top an study! I am obsessed with candling. Great topic too, cause I have a batch of chicks growing and a broody duck on eggs!

Haha in my house it's not trolls but kids!!! If I need a flashlight I can almost guarantee that I will find at least one or two in each child's bed....Dad said go to bed= if I have a flash light I can stay up and read the new books I got from the library....grrr when my mom said your going to get kids just like you.....

 

[Lostchicken]

I candle my eggs with a real sophisticated light set up. i have a 3 cell D flash light with a used toilet paper rolled taped to the end and I mashed it a little bit and my eggs just set up there. I do have chickens that lay large light brown eggs (barred rocks and Wyandotte's).

 

[HarleysGonePostal]

The flashlight on my phone is the best light I have used.

Surprisingly I have found this to be the best for me as well.

 

[WildAtHart]

Last but not least, recognize that the reason folks discuss "success rates" is because they *often* have failures. In three sets of nine eggs in a janoel 12, SavKel and i have had 3 fail to launch, 4 fail to hatch, and 5 that needed post hatching treatment (unabsorbed yolk, webbed toes, and curled/straddled feet) our second incubation came from Craigslist and only had 1 healthy chick out of the lot. We believe the issue was due to a high humidity, but could have been a combination of things.
Best of luck to whoever starts incubating after reading this thread!
And of course... Pictures!
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Actually, this is the same small incubator we have. It has the best hatch rates of any of the rest of ours!...lol...

 

[Vortex81]

Well ive only done one batch of chicken eggs currently have my second batch in as we speak you can check it out here https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/brand-new-to-incubating.1240409/

- What do you use to candle eggs? I started candleing with a dollar store special ( well i guess i tried ) then i upgraded to my big flashlight thats like a mag light the takes 3 c batteries witch is a damn good option and with that flashlight i took one of them bathroom mouth rinsing cups gorillia taped it to my flashlight and cut the bottom off big enough to hold my eggs for candleing and now i have upgraded to this redneck candler

We have to make a few adjustments to the hole where the egg sits but it works GREAT and the light is very bright, when i candle my eggs this thursday coming up i will post pictures of it in action for you all!!

- What about candling dark shelled eggs? All my chicken eggs are dark brown or green and with this new candler we made up it works very well against dark eggs

- When do you start candling eggs? Me and my wife candle at 7 days and 14 days, ive only done chicken eggs up to this point.

- What do you look for when candling and what are the signs you need to give up on an egg? (I.e. what is normal, what are the warning signs, etc) Uhm well i read the forums and go by them

 

[gimmie birdies]

I use a small flashlight, that is powerful. They cost more money than a small one that is not powerful, but worth it. You can find them in a hardware store.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I like an incubator with a turner, then you will be less likely to candle as much as you would if you turn by hand. I just put them in and walk away. I do try and watch to make sure the turners are still working though.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

- What do you use to candle eggs?
my phone torch
- What about candling dark-shelled eggs?
never had to but I would use one of my heavy-duty flashlights
- When do you start candling eggs?
day 7, 14, and 18
- What do you look for when candling and what are the signs you need to give up on an egg? (I.e. what is normal, what are the warning signs, etc)
if the egg is empty, if you can't see it moving, if the chick floats around when you move the egg

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Day 15



Dead:

Alive:

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

*specifically for Coturnix quail*

- What do you use to candle eggs?
Flashlight on my phone definitely the best I've tried, even better than a candler I was given. Hold it to the big end of the egg at a slight angle.

- What about candling dark-shelled eggs?
Most Coturnix quail eggs are pretty hard to see into, try holding the egg at a slight angle and slowly rotating it, eventually you will find a spot that works for each egg. Remember: every egg is different... Unless they're from the same layer

- When do you start candling eggs?
I only candle at day 7 and day 14 before locking down. I am not a fan of candling them everyday unless using it to create documentation/a helpful resource. I have high success this way and don't plan to change it. I don't candle before incubating them just look for damage.

- What do you look for when candling and what are the signs you need to give up on an egg? (I.e. what is normal, what are the warning signs, etc)
Normally should be a nice air sac on the big end of the egg, this is easy to see as it will light up when you hold the torch to it. Later on you should be able to see some veining, especially at the day 14 candling. By then you should see most the egg is taken up by a big dark object - our chick!

Bad signs are if there is blood in a ring around the air sac, if the whole egg lights up not just the air sac - that means it was most likely infertile or possibly died very early. If the egg looks a bit different and you cannot see movement, also a bad sign!