[traacyken]

the eggs  have been in the incubator for 8 days  :blink: to get the idea of how do it,i had a look at candeling on youtube i  pintched my sons bedroom lamp. had a go in the dark but culdnt see thru the brown eggs at all or the green and blue eggs. ive got 1 white one which the guy give me as he said it may not be fertile but put it in anyway for me , and  i couldnt see anything but didnt want to start twizzing it about . do you need a special lamp or do you use a normal  house one. where am i going wrong any advise greatly appreciated!

[lisa80]

I used a led torch to begin with but have just ordered a hi lume  mains candler as we couldnt see through the araucana eggs 

[Kate and her Ducks]

I use an ordinary torch and the cardboard inner of a loo roll. Hold the egg against the inner and look down it while shining the torch accross the egg at the bottom. Works really well for me but my eggs are white.

[TeaPots]

the secret is to not have any other light, u can cut a small hole in a largish cardboard box. Put the box over the lamp and turn out all other light, The only visible light should be through this small hole. Then you can sit the egg on the hole, slowly rotating it. at this stage, you are looking for veins. Dont hold the egg too close to the light bulb (hence the box) as if the egg gets hot, you can kill the embryo.

[traacyken]

hi thanx for your replys, theve been in 11 days now, so i think i might be best leaving them alone and wait and see what happens, great tips tho!

[Sassy]

The only danger is if you have any that aren't developing there is a possibility that they may explode and infect any good eggs.

[traacyken]

gees youve got me worried now sassy! ill have a go when its dark tonight, its 12 days now will i be able to see thru the blue and brown eggs using the box and lamp meathod,ive 15 eggs in there so should i shut the lid after each  one comes out ill get my o/h t help thanx

[clairebeau]

I am unsure about this too!
I was in a dark room last night with my sons little torch, I found 3 eggs with cracks in them by checking them before I popped them under my broody.  So I was glad I did this, I had to decide which ones to select for her as I had too many for her banty bottom to cope with, hee hee.
The breeder where I got my eggs from said to just leave them with her from now on.  So I shall, I think an incubator is quite different from a Mother hen doing the job though.  Hope everyone will agree with me, I don't fancy messing her about, it's bad enough her coping with the rugby world cup going on in our garden right nuder her nose LOL.
Good luck. xxx

[joyfull]

I hatch with a broody and never candle (good tip that about candling before you put them under - to check for hairline cracks), candling doesn't work too well with blue eggs, I just let the broody sit and do her job, last year both broodies discarded any that was defective so hopefully this broody will do the same 

[IMOmimey]

I hatch with a broody and never candle (good tip that about candling before you put them under - to check for hairline cracks), candling doesn't work too well with blue eggs, I just let the broody sit and do her job, last year both broodies discarded any that was defective so hopefully this broody will do the same 

people get so upset when the broody leaves/rejects/stomps her eggs, but like you Joy, I think its "mum knows best" especially if you know she is a reliable broody girlie.

[TeaPots]

gees youve got me worried now sassy! ill have a go when its dark tonight, its 12 days now will i be able to see thru the blue and brown eggs using the box and lamp meathod,ive 15 eggs in there so should i shut the lid after each  one comes out ill get my o/h t help thanx

Yeah, u should be able to see if the egg is dark, but very light showing the airsac, it should be good to go,  if the light just shines through it is clear and need removing. BE CAREFUL, cos they have been know to burst, so I carefully take them outside.

As you get more practised, ull do it well easy. 

[traacyken]

thanx again all i dont fancy a dodgy egg exploding on me though mind you inm smelly as it is as weve moved the horses, so i might wait till ive done it to have a bath!

[TeaPots]

well?   ...our breath is bated......