I'm in the process of hatching some eggs (first time) (novice) I have had no problem with the white eggs but I can't see anything with the green and dark chocolate eggs. Whats the secret ? Or how do you candle these eggs? Any advice would be appreciated. Haystack
Hatching & candling
Well Haystack, not to be misinterpreted, but I use the closet. It's so dark in there, and when I take my eggs in and candle them (I use a small LED flashlight) I can even see what's going on in the darker eggs and the green eggs. Now, that said, I can't see the early development. But usually by day 14, I can see if there is development or not.
Now, when I "come out of the closet" with my eggs, I am still the same person as when I went in!!! LOL!!!
The green are medium difficult. The darker brown are the worst. Sometimes I can't see anything and I have to wait for hatch day. Usually because the smaller end is not as wide, I can see some pale glow down there, and if I'm nearly at hatch day, and there is glow through the small end, then I know it's a "dud" egg because the chick should be taking up that space. It's pretty murky. Takes some experience.
I suggest going in the closet. ;-)
OK Mox I'll see you in the closet. I'm not sure who is laughing harder, my wife or myself. I do hope there is nothing strange in our closet. I am blind in my right eye so thats workin against me but I can see the white eggs just fine. I'll keep trying, I only have five days til hatch. I just thought that maybe there was some little trick for real dark eggs. Thanks a lot. Haystack.
Haystack I'm not sayin a word :x but I think it's ok if you go in the closet with your wife. Otherwise... a tad....weird :x Ninja dahlianut (an eggless person sob, sob) just couldn't resist poppin in on this thread. Now I will go back to my normally scheduled lurking.....
Haystack - if you take your wife in the closet with you, I am NOT responsible for what happens to those eggs!
ROTFL....
LMAO, u all r to funny!!
usually blues and choc ya can't see much till father into incubation that is true. i use led lights in just a dark room. cell phone lights and them dang keychains work best for us and we've built them candlers and all,lol. my marans eggs till moved to hatcher on day 18 i could se nothing. then i could see black blob and lighter air cell and that was it.
i don't bother to even candle anymore till i move to hatcher unless it is fertility checks so i know sooner. but if the bator starts to smell or i'm excited i do check early or on day 10 usually once on rare occasions. i have cabinate bators so they r pretty much set and forget about bators. they have auto turners and buckets with valves on top. i just have to make sure the reserve tanks r full and it does everything it's self.
Any of you hatching nuts that haven't had the pleasure of using a commercially produced egg candler are in for a great surprise if you can borrow or purchase one. In the past I had used the LED or conventional flashlight with a cardboard or tinfoil tube, with mixed results, but less success on the darker eggs. Then my father dug an antique candler out of his barn - my gosh what a difference! The darker brown eggs lit up inside enough that I could detect fertility at as early as 5-6 days. You can see the veining and spidery web easily on the white/light brown eggs. And the dark green ameraucana eggs were tougher, but still visible with 7-8 days. They are somewhat expensive to purchase, but if I were seriously bitten by the hatching bug - it's a "must". Maybe place a wanted add on craigslist or similar format would find one that someone is willing to part with?
Maineiac: Thank you so much. I have been using a 3 cell flashlight with a wand on the end that narrows down to about a half inch. The wand is black so no light escapes, I thought that would work well, and it does for light eggs, but, not dark ones. I think I'll break down and buy a commercial one, now that you have got me going. Thanks Haystack.
i just may too, i didn't know they worked that good. scott what brand is ur candler or where did u buy it from? it would come in handy with my marans and welsummer breeds this spring.
thanks,
mar
I don't know the brand - it is old though. I was a skeptical about spending the money for one, but had I've known how well they worked, wished I bought one before. Thankfully, this one was given to me. Here is a picture of the unit and I will post another pic of an egg too...
this is a light colored egg, but it is all I had under a hen right now. you can see the veining well, but the picture is hard to take of that. Dark eggs light up almost as well as light ones do. once again, any candler does work better in the dark.
Nice! I'm going to look for one of those!
awe wook at the itty bitty embryo, to cute!! i have never seen one made like that i thought u ment like one of the flashlight looking candlers. him i will have to do some scouting. u sure it is not an antique one cuz it looks like it is and a commercial one.
It is an antique, my Dad used to run a hatchery back in the '60's, and it was one that he hung onto. My guess would be it is a "brower" or some other brand, but there isn't any ID on it anywhere. He said it is referred to as a "hand-candler", and that they used it for spot checking eggs in the incubators there. If one were to do a search on e-bay or craigslist for an antique hand-candler, maybe they may find one like it?
Maineiac: Thank you so much for pic's, I have never seen a candler like that. I thought they were all flashlight looking. Thats so cool, I really appreciate you taking time to share with us. Happy Thanks Giving to you. Haystack.
Haystack, have you come out of the closet yet? (giggle)
You're welcome stack. If anyone was crafty enough they could take the fixture out of an old lamp, insert it into a coffee (or similar) can, make a few cuts with some snips, fashion a metal lid with a hole in it, insert a "pcv" valve grommet (or similar) from an auto supply store, and voila! I believe the key here is the bulb needs to be high intensity. A regular bulb doesn't direct enough light out the hole.
:x OMG haystack and his DW have been in the closet for a whole day :x This is very romantic. I wonder if they remembered to take any eggs in there with them? :x
Dahlianut: The last half of your handle is right on. Sometimes I think like a - - - Sometimes I am a - - - Sorry I just could not resist, Happy Thanksgiving.
CMOX0N: Your gonna get your's girl. Actually we were in there so long waiting for Mox to make her appearance. What a no show! BUT, just wait until those rescue cocks get through with you. Not. Happy Thanksgiving. Howard. Note: Now only you and my wife know my real name. ha ha ha. Haystack.