Candling eggs is a simple technique that can even be done with a home torch. But it’s helpful to have some photographs to know what you’re searching for within the egg. That is why we will discuss matters like when to candle chicken eggs.
Egg Candling
Before we get into when to candle chicken eggs, let us first define egg candling. Candling is a technique for seeing the growth and development of an embryo within an egg. With this, you employ a strong light source behind the egg to reveal features through the shell.
It got its name since the first light sources were candles. Egg candlers, commonly known as candling lamps, are modern lights with a focussed beam. LEDs are now recommended due to their great brightness, efficiency, and extended life.
There are no bulbs to change, and the devices are small, portable, and battery-powered, allowing them to be used directly in the nest. They also provide a cool light rather than a lot of heat, which may be harmful to the embryos. Candling allows you to track a variety of characteristics, such as egg fertility and embryo development.
You can lessen the chances of a bad egg breaking and polluting your hatchery. This is accomplished by being able to identify non-viable eggs. Furthermore, candling does not affect your eggs; keep this in mind when interested in poultry farming.
You may safely remove your incubating eggs from the incubator for the few times you will be candling them. It’s similar to how the mother would leave the nest for a little time each day. The size of the air sac should increase when moisture evaporates from the egg during incubation.
During incubation, eggs must lose around 13% of their initial weight. If your humidity level is roughly right, the air sac should expand at different stages of incubation. If the humidity in the incubator is too low (extremely dry circumstances), the air sac will be bigger than normal.
Also, the humidity in the incubator should be raised to limit the rate of water loss. If the air gap is smaller than usual, the converse is true. Before incubation, we light the eggs to search for cracks.
During incubation, they allow germs to enter. Cracked eggs are more prone to become contaminated. It then results in the embryos dying early.
We can employ egg candling to detect viable eggs during incubation. Non-viable eggs that are infertile or premature death can also be removed before they spoil. Rotten eggs might occasionally erupt, contaminating viable eggs as well as the inside of your incubator.
When to Candle Chicken Eggs?
After 5 days of incubation, eggs can be candled, and then every few days after that. Candle eggs should be made in a darkened environment or under dim lighting for the best results. The candler should be kept against the shell at the bigger end of the egg, near the air sac.
Candle eggs after they have been in the incubator for 7 to 10 days is the ideal period. Because the embryo is so vulnerable during the first week, you should wait until after this vital period has passed. After around 7 days, you will be able to see what is happening more clearly as well.
Rotating the egg allows you to see blood vessel expansion and embryo development. In viable eggs, there will be a little spot with a network of blood arteries spreading from it at first.
How many times should you candle eggs during incubation?
So, how many times should you candle eggs while they are incubating? Make sure your eggs are healthy and undamaged before placing them in the incubator. Fertility is evaluated every 7 to 10 days, and clears are eliminated.
Also, you can do it once more, 16 days before hatching. Remove any dead or underdeveloped eggs. Otherwise, newly hatched chicks may become smeared in stinky gunk from exploding eggs.
Candling eggs prior to incubation can help reveal any defects in the egg that might prevent it from hatching. You’d be able to see whether the egg was missing its yolk, cracked, had a broken air sac, or had a shell issue. Embryos frequently begin to develop and then halt.
Candling at the 7-day mark allows you to eliminate clears and early dead eggs. Candling the day before pipping begins allows you to remove any late quitters. Knowing how many times you should candle chicken eggs is as important as knowing when to candle chicken eggs.
Is candling harmful to the eggs?
No, not as a rule, although it can happen if you take too long or are careless. If you leave an egg on a hot bulb for an extended period of time, it may be damaged. Also, if you leave an egg out of the incubator for an extended period of time, it may die.
This is only an issue if you have a big quantity of eggs to candle at once. The more candle eggs you use, the more likely you may fracture or damage one. So use caution and soft cloths beneath your work area.
How to make a candle lamp?
If you’re on a tight budget, you may make an egg candler. Inside a cardboard box, place a desk lamp with a brilliant low-energy light bulb. Make a small, circular hole in the top of the box, just large enough to accommodate the pointy end of the egg.
Conclusion on When to Candle Chicken Eggs
Handling chicken eggs is a crucial manner so you have to make sure you assessed them properly. Candling may seem like a simple process, but there are many things you should learn especially when interested in broiler production. So now that you know when to candle chicken eggs, you can monitor your chicken eggs the right way now.