Marans egg Candling Question w/Pictures

[ADozenGirlz]

Can anyone with experience in candling Marans eggs tell me what they think about this particular egg? Today is Day 9 (I set in the afternoon of 4/9/10). This is the darkest egg I have in the bator, there are five others. I'm positive that at least 4 of the 6 eggs are developing. Two are questionable and this is one of those.
Photographing Marans egg candling is a challenge, but I think these pictures fairly well depict what I can see. The top 1/3 of the small end of the egg is darkened all the way around, which doesn't look like the other eggs I'm accustomed to seeing as developing embryos. In some of the lighter eggs I can actually see the embryo's eye and movement.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

[panner123]

These eggs are a challenge to even those of the most experienced. The best advice I can give you is to wait until day 24 to see if it hatches. If not toss it. I know that there are times when an egg will explode, but this is not normal. Not knowing what type of unit you are using to candle, from your photos I would say it is not near bright enough. I have made my own candler for these eggs. It is a small wood box with a 1" hole cut in the top. The light is either a 300 or 500 watt flood light bulb. A #8 egg is still a challenge. This is 1 time when you just have to wait.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Aw, bummer. Patience isn't my strong suit.

I'm using an LED flashlight and it works great. I can see into all of the other eggs pretty well with it and the "floating oval," as I like to call the developing embryo in the first week, is ordinarily oriented along the side of the egg, not the top as this one appears to be.
Do quitters or blood rings ever look like a dark area filling up much of the small end of the egg?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Here are some other photos of a different egg in the same shipped batch, which shows how well the LED flashlight illuminates for candling:

This is Egg #5, a Blue Splash Marans egg. My shining star embryo at day 5.

 

[chickgirl8313]

lol my eggs look like this too

well some do some dont candling is hard lol

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
It can be a bit of a challenge with the darker eggs but with a good flashlight in a dark place, you can still tell what's going on in there.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Ok, when showing an egg be sure you candle in a closet so there is no outside lighting to inter fear. Also don't flip them on their tops (fat end down) keep them pointy end down just like in their turner. It helps with orientation and showing the egg easily. The Marans eggs are just plumb hard to see in at times. Good luck with your hatch.

 

[Arielle]

Hej adozengirlz, I figured marans would be too difficult to candle so I was planning ( girls are just 2 months ) to put in a few very pale brown eggs to candle for the air cell development. ANd trust that all was well until day 24, and see who enters the world.

Incubating teaches patience--so keep incubating!!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Check out my blog post to see my candling 'secret weapon' here: http://networkedblogs.com/iwh79

 

[Arielle]

Thanks for the link Adozengirlz--very comical! I have a similar flashlight, may not be as powerful as the TSC one. Will have to remember to scout out a TSC; they are popping up everywhere, just not near me. Many midnight experiences, under black out conditions to candle!

PS. Here's to weathering this hurricane; hope you and your feathered friends make it thru safely.