Tyler Brooks
Candling eggs is an important part of the incubation process, allowing handlers to check for fertile eggs, embryo viability, and progress. It involves shining a bright light against the shell to illuminate the inside of the egg. This process can be done with a basic flashlight or specialized equipment, and it is recommended to candle eggs a few times during the 21-day incubation period. By observing the development of the embryo, handlers can make informed decisions about discarding or retaining eggs. However, it is important to limit candling to a maximum of two or three times to minimize the risk of disturbing the eggs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is candling? | Candling is the act of shining a light through an egg to determine if the embryos are growing properly. |
| When to candle | It is recommended to candle eggs a few times during the 21-day incubation process, specifically on days 7, 14, and 18. |
| Tools | A basic flashlight or a specialized candling device can be used. Other tools include a notebook and a dark room. |
| How to candle | Place the large end of the egg, where the air cell is, against the light source. Rotate the egg slowly. |
| What to look for | A fertilized egg should have a dark spot surrounded by blood vessels, while an unfertilized egg will be clear with no veins or blob. |
| What to do with unviable eggs | Unviable eggs should be removed from the incubator to prevent rot or explosion. |
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What You'll Learn
What to look for when candling eggs
To candle an egg, shine a bright light against the shell to see what's developing inside. Here's what to look for when candling eggs:
Day 3
Veins may start to be apparent.
Day 4
Eyes may be visible and show up as a red spot.
Day 5
Sex can be distinguished as male or female.
Day 7
Knee and elbow joints have developed, and digits are beginning to appear. The heart is enclosed in a tiny thoracic cavity. If the eggs haven't developed an embryo by day 7, they should be removed from the incubator.
Day 8
You may be able to see the chick wiggling and kicking in its egg.
Day 9-10
Structures around the eye continue to develop, such as the eyelids. Feathers are developing, and the beak has grown and hardened. By day 10, if the egg is clear and there are no visible structures or dark areas, it is likely infertile.
Day 18
The embryo takes up most of the egg and appears as a dark area within the egg. You may sometimes see movement inside the egg. If the egg is still clear by day 18, it is likely infertile.
Day 21
You may be able to see the chick moving into the air sack. You may also see blood veins.
In general, look out for signs of embryo development, such as a dark area within the egg, and a network of veins and blood vessels that continue to grow and spread. Clear eggs with zero development should be removed from the incubator, as they may rot and explode.
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How to candle eggs without an incubator
Candling is the act of shining a bright light against an egg's shell to see what's going on inside. It is an essential part of the incubation process.
To candle eggs without an incubator, you will need a basic flashlight or a high-powered flashlight. You can even build your own candling lamp by taking a low-energy bulb (60 watts) and placing it in a desk lamp. Place the lamp into a cardboard box that has a small round hole in the top, just the size of the pointed end of an egg. Place the egg into the hole and then turn on the light. You can also use a candle, but you must be very careful so that the egg doesn't cook or the heat doesn't cause the shell to crack.
What to Look For
If the egg is infertile, you will only see the yolk's shadow inside without the embryo or veins. This is called a clear egg. If the egg is fertile, you will see a network of veins coming out of a dark blob close to the centre of the egg.
When to Candle
It is recommended to candle eggs two or three times: once before placing an egg into the incubator, at seven days to check for development, and at 18 days to make sure that only viable eggs go into a hatcher. If you candle at 20-21 days, you will see that there is a membrane all the way around the embryo.
Other Tips
- White and light-coloured shells are the easiest to candle, while darker shells will require a brighter light.
- If you are having trouble viewing the egg contents, turn out some lights or go into a dark room.
- Eggs can be out of the incubator for up to 30 minutes, but it is best to put them back as soon as possible.
- Be sure your hands are clean and dry. Oil from your fingers can clog the pores in the egg shell and keep the embryo from getting the oxygen it needs.
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How to make a makeshift candler
Candling is the act of shining a bright light against an egg's shell to determine if the embryo is growing properly. While there are commercial egg candlers available, you can make a makeshift candler at home using simple parts. Here is how you can build one:
Materials:
- A good-sized metal can with a lid (a candy container, coffee can, or any canister with a tight-fitting lid will do)
- An ordinary light fixture
- Nuts and bolts
- An electric cord with a plug
- An in-line switch (optional)
- A 1 1/2" diameter hole in the container's lid (for illuminating the eggs)
- A 2 1/4" diameter cork gasket (to prevent eggs from cracking)
- Four legs (for horizontal viewing)
Steps:
- Punch a few mounting holes in the bottom of the container.
- Secure the light fixture inside the can through the mounting holes using nuts and bolts.
- Make an opening in the bottom of the canister for the light's electric cord.
- Attach an electric plug to the free end of the wire.
- Optionally, add an in-line switch to the cord for convenience.
- Cut a "porthole" about 1 1/2 inches in diameter in the container's lid to illuminate the eggs.
- Glue a cork gasket around the opening to prevent eggs from cracking if they bump into the can.
- Add four legs to the side of the candler to allow for horizontal viewing.
Additional Tips:
- Darken the room when candling to improve visibility.
- Use a bright light, such as a flashlight or a high-powered flashlight.
- A 60-watt LED bulb is a good option as it does not emit heat and illuminates the egg well.
- Gently roll the egg on the candler to get the best view.
- Wash the eggs and allow them to dry before candling to eliminate cracked eggs.
- Limit candling to two or three times during the incubation process.
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How to candle eggs with an incubator
To candle eggs with an incubator, you will need to shine a bright light against the shell to see what's going on inside. This process is called candling. It is important to maintain the correct humidity over the incubation period (45% for chicken eggs).
Candlers can be hand-held or sit on a flat surface. Place the large end of the egg, where the air cell is, against the candler. You will see the air sac at the bottom as a bright space. If the egg is fertilised, you will see a network of veins coming out of a dark blob close to the centre of the egg. If the egg isn't fertilised, there won't be veins or the blob.
It is recommended to candle eggs at specific intervals during the 21-day incubation period. Firstly, before placing the egg into the incubator, candle the eggs to ensure they are fertilised. Then, at seven days, candle the eggs to check for development. At this stage, if the eggs haven't developed an embryo, they should be removed from the incubator.
You can candle eggs again at 14 days to check for viability. By 18 days, the embryo takes up most of the egg and appears as a dark area within the egg. You can do a final candle at this stage to make sure only viable eggs remain in the incubator.
It is important to limit the number of times you candle the eggs, as handling them too much can be detrimental. Additionally, do not keep the eggs out of the incubator for more than 5-10 minutes when candling, and do not candle all the eggs at once.
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How often to candle eggs
The candling process involves shining a bright light against the shell of an egg to see what's going on inside. It's a good way to check the viability of the embryo and to identify cracks in the shell that could lead to contamination.
It is generally recommended to candle eggs two or three times during the 21-day incubation process. The first time is before placing the egg into the incubator to check for any micro-cracks in the shell. The second time is around seven days later to check for embryo development. The third time is on day 18 to ensure only viable eggs go into the hatcher.
Some people choose to candle eggs more frequently, such as every day after day three, but this is not recommended as it can lead to problems. For example, handling the eggs too much can disturb the fragile air cells and cause a loss of heat and humidity in the incubator. It can also lead to discarding viable eggs, as it is difficult to see much inside the egg after 14 days when the chick takes up a lot of space.
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Frequently asked questions
Candling is the act of shining a bright light through an egg to observe its insides. This allows you to check for cracks, signs of life, and embryo development.
By day 21, the chick will have taken up most of the space in the egg, making it hard to candle. It is recommended to candle eggs a few times during the 21-day incubation process, ideally on days 7 and 14.
You will need a basic flashlight or a specialized egg candler, a dark room, and gentle hands to handle the eggs.
