Jessie Taylor
Candling is a simple method used to check if an egg is fertile and developing properly. It involves shining a bright light through the egg to see what's going on inside without cracking it open. The term candling comes from the traditional practice of using candles, but nowadays, a strong flashlight or a battery-operated candling device works just fine. This process is especially useful for those hatching eggs at home, as it helps identify which eggs are fertilized (winners) and which are not (yolkers or quitters). By candling at regular intervals, you can monitor the growth of the embryo and avoid any nasty surprises, such as an exploded egg in your incubator.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To check if an egg is fertile and developing properly |
| Equipment | A dark room, a bright light, and the egg |
| Timing | Day 3: veins may start to be apparent; Day 7: check for early signs of life; Day 8: peep wiggling and kicking |
| Indicators of Progress | Veins and blood vessels that continue to grow and spread; air pocket in the egg getting larger; egg getting darker |
| Indicators of a Bad Egg | Vague ring inside the egg; lack of veins; blood spot with little or no veins; lack of development compared to other eggs |
| Handling | Wash hands before handling; eggs can be out of the incubator for up to 30 minutes but return as soon as possible |
| Viewing | Candle in a dark room; hold the egg at a slight angle with the large end towards the light; rotate slightly for the best view |
| Lighting Tools | Cool-Lite Tester; handheld devices from poultry outlets; small flashlights with a plug-in cord; battery-operated egg candler |
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What You'll Learn
Equipment needed to candle an egg at home
To candle an egg at home, you will need a few supplies. The process of candling involves shining a bright light through an egg in a dark environment to see what's inside without cracking it open. The term "candling" comes from the traditional practice of using a candle's flame as the light source. Here is a list of equipment you can use for candling at home:
A Dark Room or Closet
Find a dark room or closet in your home to minimise light pollution. The darker the environment, the better you will be able to see what's inside the egg.
A Bright Light Source
You can use a strong flashlight or torch for candling. If the flashlight is too big, you can cut a hole in a piece of cardboard and tape it over the light end of the flashlight to narrow the beam. Alternatively, tape an empty toilet paper or paper towel tube to the end to restrict the light output. A battery-operated egg candler, such as the OvaScope, is another option, providing a fun and easy way to candle eggs.
The Egg
Of course, you will need an egg to candle! Ensure your hands are clean and dry before handling the egg. Oil from your fingers can clog the pores in the eggshell, hindering the embryo's oxygen supply.
Optional: Cool-Lite Tester
The Cool-Lite Tester from GQF Manufacturing is a recommended tool for candling. It minimises handling time, reducing the risk of dropping or cracking the egg. It also creates a tight seal against the base of the egg, decreasing light escape and providing an optimal view of the egg's contents.
With these equipment pieces, you can candle eggs at home to check for fertility, embryo development, and potential imperfections.
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How to identify a 'quitter' egg
"Quitters" are fertilized eggs that stop developing during incubation. It is important to identify and remove quitter eggs from the incubator as they can start to rot and explode, exposing good eggs to bacteria.
To identify quitter eggs, you must candle them. Candling involves shining a bright light through the egg to see what's going on inside without cracking it open. This method is used to check if an egg is fertile and developing properly.
On Day 7, a fertile egg will show a small dark spot (the embryo) with red veins branching out and a visible air sac. If you don't see veins or an air sac, the egg might not be developing. However, if you are unsure, you can leave the egg until Day 14, when it will be easier to identify.
On Day 14, a quitter egg will be cloudy and will not have developed veins like other eggs. By Day 16, a quitter egg should be mostly dark and almost full of chick. If the whole egg is clear and the light is shining through it, it is a definite non-developing egg.
Other signs of a quitter egg include a vague ring inside the egg and little or no veins, a very distinct blood spot with little or no veins, and a lack of development compared to the rest of the eggs in the hatch. If you are unsure, you can try candling the egg in different places or give the egg a sniff to check for any bad odours.
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How often to candle an egg
Candling is a simple method used to check if an egg is fertile and developing properly. It involves shining a bright light through the egg to see what's going on inside without cracking it open. The term “candling” comes from the old-school practice of using candles as a light source. Today, you can use a strong flashlight or a specially designed egg candler.
There are differing opinions on how often to candle an egg. Some sources recommend candling eggs at regular intervals, even daily, after the first three days of incubation. On day three, veins may start to become apparent. However, one source recommends avoiding candling eggs during the last three days of a hatch unless there is a specific reason to do so.
Most people candle twice: once on day seven to check for early signs of life, and again on day 14. On day seven, a fertile egg will show a small dark spot (the embryo) with red veins branching out and a visible air sac. You might even catch a little movement! If you don’t see veins or an air sac, it’s likely the egg isn’t developing. By day 14, it isn’t easy to see much inside the egg because the chick takes up a lot of space.
Another source recommends candling three times: around day 5-6, day 9-10, and sometimes closer to the day of transfer to the hatcher. Candling on day 9 or 10 can be done using a candling table, which involves illuminating an entire tray of eggs from beneath. However, this method may sacrifice accuracy.
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How to candle an egg before placing it in an incubator
Candling an egg is the process of shining a bright light against its shell to see what's going on inside. The term comes from the past when people used actual candles to shine light through the egg. Modern alternatives include flashlights, LED bulbs, and specialized equipment like the Cool-Lite Tester.
- Wash your hands with a good quality medicated hand wash to minimize the risk of transmitting bacteria to the eggs.
- Candle in a completely dark or dimly lit room. Eggs with white or light-colored shells are easier to candle, while darker shells require a brighter light.
- Remove the eggs one at a time and work quickly. The egg should be out of the incubator for no longer than 5-10 minutes, or 30 minutes at the absolute maximum.
- Place the light on the larger end of the egg, where the air sac forms. If using a flashlight or bulb, hold it inside your fist with the bulb close to the top and balance the egg on your clenched fist.
- Rotate the egg slightly to get the best seal and view of the inside.
- Identify the "winners" (fertilized, properly developing eggs). You'll see a network of blood vessels that appear white, with a dark outline at the center, which is the embryo. You may even see the embryo's dark eyes or slight movement.
- Identify the "yolkers" (unfertilized eggs). These will appear clear without any signs of development, and they will glow. There will be no blood vessels, dark embryo, or blood ring.
- Remove the "yolkers" and "quitters" (fertilized eggs that stopped developing) from the batch. These should not be placed in the incubator as they will rot and may explode, creating a mess and exposing the viable eggs to bacteria.
- If you're unsure about an egg, place it back in the incubator and recheck it on day 14. If there are still no signs of development, discard it.
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What to do after candling an egg on day 14
Candling an egg is a simple method used to check if an egg is fertile and developing properly. It involves shining a bright light through the egg to see what's going on inside without cracking it open. The process gets its name from the traditional practice of using a candle as the light source.
On day 14, it is harder to see the embryo as the chick takes up a lot of the egg. If you can see the embryo, it should be dancing around. If not, the egg is likely a "quitter"—a fertilized egg that has stopped developing. You should remove any eggs with embryos that have died to lessen the risk of a rotten egg exploding.
After candling on day 14, it is best not to disturb the eggs again. However, some people will recheck them when you stop turning them a few days before they hatch. If you are concerned about the humidity, you may want to check the eggs more often to check the air sac size.
To avoid disturbing the eggs, you can record your findings and monitor chick development. This helps you keep track of each hatch and provides useful data to refer back to in future hatches.
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Frequently asked questions
Candling is a simple method used to check if an egg is fertile and developing properly. It involves shining a bright light through the egg to see what’s going on inside without cracking it open.
You need a dark room, a bright light, and the egg you intend to candle. You can use a Cool-Lite Tester or a small flashlight.
Wash your hands to minimise the risk of transferring bacteria to the eggs. Work quickly and remove the eggs from the incubator one at a time. Place the light on the bigger end of the egg where the air sac forms. Rotate it slightly until you have the best seal against the egg and the best view of the inside of the egg.
