Candling Eggs
What is Candling?
Candling Results
The embryo is located at the large end of the egg, where blood vessels will be present under the surface if the egg is fertile. The embryo appears as a dark spot which becomes larger as the incubation period continues.
- Fertile egg - the egg will appear to have a black spot which as the embryo grows and incubation continues will grow larger until light will only pass through the air cell end of the egg.
- Infertile egg - eggs appear clear.
- Dead embryo - if the egg was fertile but the embryo has died then you will see a blood ring around the yolk or possibly a dark spot dried to the inside of the shell depending on when the embryo stopped growing.
Note that dark or brown shelled eggs are more difficult to candle than white or pale shelled eggs.
When To Candle
Candling can be done at any time, although day 8 onwards is usually when the embryo is more easily identified.
- Day 3 of incubation (usually pale shelled eggs).
- Day 5/6 of incubation (usually dark shelled eggs).
- Between day 8 - 12 of incubation (embryo more easily identified).
- 3 days prior to hatching.
Why Candle
- To remove infertile eggs or eggs with a dead embryo so that the incubator does not become contaminated.
Candling Equipment
- A torch with a lense the size of a small coin may be used.
- A commercial candler may be purchased.
- A homemade candler which uses a bulb or torch placed in a container with a small hole to let the light pass through.
Remember that if you decide to candle your eggs, make sure that you handle the eggs carefully and only take them out of the incubator for a short time.
Hatchability Incubation
Thank you for this really useful information. We are off to use our home-made torch candler now!
Comment by Felicity — May 8, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
Hi Felicity,
I am glad you are finding the information useful. Good luck with the candling!
Sara @ Farming Friends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — May 8, 2007 @ 9:49 pm
Thanks, this info has been helpful:)
Comment by Joe — April 30, 2008 @ 6:11 pm
Hi Joe, I am so pleased that you have found this information useful - it’s good to know. Thanks very much for your comment and visit.
Let me know if I can help you further. What have you been candling?
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — May 1, 2008 @ 5:44 am
Excellent Information.
Will be candling my eggs at day 7 in my homemade incubator to see if everything is going ok.
Thanks
Comment by Homemade incubator — June 24, 2008 @ 9:06 am
hi when does the egg actually start moving as mine are 18 days old and arent moving outside but seem to be moving inside ,
???
Comment by leanne — June 25, 2008 @ 7:45 pm
Hi leanne,
You don’t say what type of eggs you are incubating but I am guessing that they may be quail with you mentioning 18 days. It is a good sign if they are moving inside. When you candle near to the hatching date you will see the chick moves it’s head away from the light. It won’t be long before the eggs start to pip.
You need to make sure that you stop egg turning a few days before the hatch date and that the humidity levels are increased just before hatching. The hatching process can take a few hours or a couple of days and sometimes eggs hatch later than you expect.
I hope that this information is useful to you Leanne. Let me know how you get on and if you have anymore specific questions related to the type of eggs they are then let me know. Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — June 26, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
I have a question. I found two duck eggs (long story but they were abandoned and not left alone for more than 24 hours) that I am trying to care for and hopefully hatch. I did some research online and I am taking care for them as best as I can without an incubator. At first both eggs seemed to be doing well. Yesterday was the 5th day that they have been in my care and 1 of the eggs started to become gradually stained. When I candle the egg it almost seems as though the fetus has detached from the shell. The egg is now about 90% stained and when I turn the egg the mass inside pretty much swishes around. Is it dead? The other is doing well (i think) but is not stained at all. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Comment by erika — June 27, 2008 @ 8:51 pm
iwas selling pigeons to big company and now i have no market 4 my 350 pairs of racing high fliers and lots of off spring,i also have 450 pairs of hommers,i want too sell my hommers and high fliers and get into meat squab birds like white kings,where can i sell these dark meat hommmers and high fliers,where is there a good breeder that has white kings,is there any place where i could sell my pigeon eggs like in china has,if u incubate a pigeon egg and it hatches ,who can fed all of them,what formala is there to fed them with,what is the advantage of incubating a pigeon eggs,well thats all 4 now
feel free to write me on my email hsteren@sympatico.ca
just farmer henry here
Comment by henry — July 16, 2008 @ 6:31 pm