Candling

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:37 am

I'm incubating chicken eggs, at day 13. Some are mine, some are shipped eggs. If I don't see any movement of the embryo, is it dead? I've candled a couple of times and tossed the obviously dead ones (clear, blood rings) but even though the eggs are all at the same stage what I see looks very different from egg to egg. I've read that shipped embryos often die partway through development, but I'm not sure how to tell if a halfway grown embryo is dead or just resting. :sleep-027: What should I look for? If it moves vigorously it's obvious everything is going well, but should all embryos do that?

Post by **Killerbunny** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:56 am

I wouldn't toss anything unless you're 100% certain they're dead. When something dies and starts to rot at you will smell it! I sniff eggs when I candle too. Give them every chance. Sometimes they do look different from egg to egg. I candle again at lockdown.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:13 am

Killerbunny wrote:QR_BBPOST I wouldn't toss anything unless you're 100% certain they're dead. When something dies and starts to rot at you will smell it! I sniff eggs when I candle too. Give them every chance. Sometimes they do look different from egg to egg. I candle again at lockdown.

I plan on doing it at lockdown- the whole egg should be dark except for the air cell, right? Or do you see some variability then too?

Post by **Killerbunny** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:36 am

Always variable. Some are obvious though if there's a quitter it may show then.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:24 am

OK thanks KB. I'll err on the side of caution!

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:04 am

what ru incubating Robbie? are they easy to candle? my reds can be a bit of a pain to see in the early stages. sure not like the white leghorn eggs. I can see everything in those!

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:38 am

I'd wait, if no obvious smell ,leave them, often you don't see movement but they are fine. One of the best ways to tell if it's dead is if the air sack has an irregular/imperfect ring, means it died somewhere along the line.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:25 pm

thegawd wrote:QR_BBPOST what ru incubating Robbie? are they easy to candle? my reds can be a bit of a pain to see in the early stages. sure not like the white leghorn eggs. I can see everything in those!

kenya wrote:QR_BBPOST I'd wait, if no obvious smell ,leave them, often you don't see movement but they are fine. One of the best ways to tell if it's dead is if the air sack has an irregular/imperfect ring, means it died somewhere along the line.

Gawd, I'm incubating Buckeye eggs from la Chicken, , Buckeye cornish cross eggs, Buckeye red sex link cross eggs, and Buckeye/production red eggs from True North farm.
The Buckeye/production red eggs are quite dark, they are a bit tough to see through. There are no stinkers that I can detect!

Kenya thanks that's a great tip, when I put them in lockdown I'll look for that.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:57 pm

Good Luck with your hatch Robbie!

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 1:24 pm

Thanks! The buckeye/cornish cross look extra vigorous.