Day 18.....Lockdown

[LDeBona]

I'm hearing a lot of peeping from my eggs. I think they'll hatch tonight or in the morning

So exciting! Good luck and keep us posted!


Leslie

 

[sepaditty1]

I got one!

 

[1 Critter Camp]

I got one!

 

[HardizzlesFlock]

Please help. im on day 20 with 16 eggs in my incubator. No pips ,zips ,cheeping, or eggs!

 

[Farmer Viola]

Please help. im on day 20 with 16 eggs in my incubator. No pips ,zips ,cheeping, or eggs!

You can candle them in the incubator to look for an internal pip, it should happen around d19-20.

it can be another 12+hrs before they externally pip after internally pipping.
it will look like a shadow on the inside of the air cell probably in a triangle shape

 

[HardizzlesFlock]

when I candle I have no idea what i'm looking for. How do you candle without opening the incubator??

 

[Frankie Ruiz]

when I candle I have no idea what i'm looking for. How do you candle without opening the incubator??

you cant. you have to hold the egg up to the flashlight or box or whatever youre using. youre looking for veins and a black blob and to see if the blob is moving.

 

[AmericanMom]

when I candle I have no idea what i'm looking for. How do you candle without opening the incubator??

You cannot candle ( to my knowledge) without opening the incubator, its recommended that you candle on day 7,14 and then again before lockdown.. Some folks do it more, some are pretty strict, I just let my gut guide me, if I have eggs I am concerned about I will candle again on day 10
For candling I found using my dads old slide projector (glad I didn't toss it) works great, I put a toilet paper tube over the light and the egg fits right in there like a glove, get a great image of what is going on inside, Im incubating Welsummer eggs this time and they are very dark, interesting to see how this light does.

 

[AmericanMom]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation








A great thread on candling and what to look for

 

[LDeBona]

when I candle I have no idea what i'm looking for. How do you candle without opening the incubator??

Some people don't "lockdown" until they have an internal pip. The humidity is not as critical until you have an external pip. So.....if you don't have any external pips it's ok to open the incubator and candle the eggs. After you have an external pip, don't open the incubator for any reason.

Good luck!

Leslie