Day 3 Candling

[CayleeMarie03]

If I candled my eggs at day three would I see a sign if they are fertile or not???

 

[Sphinx]

Sometimes.


I'm kind of a candling addict, but I usually hold off until day 5.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Not unless you're quite experienced and then only with light colored eggs. By day 7 I can definitely tell the good from the bad.

 

[cluckitall]

Every picture I've seen of candled infertile eggs seems to show very little (if any) distinction between the white and yolk part of the egg. In other words, basically it's just clear. Yah, I'm candling at 3 days just because

and while I can't see any veins yet, the yolk is VERY distinct and waaaaay darker than the albumen. Would this imply the eggs are at least fertile? And do you *ever* see a significant yolk/albumen distinction in non-fertilized eggs?

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

On day 3 on white eggs I can tell but only because it glows pinkish color on MOST fertile eggs. I leave any i think aren't fertile in because I am wrong at least half the time if i candle on day 3. Just a suggestion based on my own pulling out hair. Don't candle before day 7 or 10. And even then do not remove any eggs til day 14. I've had some late bloomers in the past where on day 7 i couldn't see any veins, then on day 14 I candled it to find it looked as if it was only a week into incubation. Strange but it happens sometimes. they hatch later, but were healthy chicks. Not sure why it happens.
Good luck!

 

[HEChicken]

If I candled my eggs at day three would I see a sign if they are fertile or not???

If you have a good enough flashlight, then definitely. I am on day 5 with a batch now and even at day 2 I could see some veining developing. By day 3 the veining was obvious enough I could see what looked like a spider in every egg - a little dark spot in the yolk with veins extending out to the egg walls. By day 4 (yesterday), the spider was bigger and darker and on one I could see a tiny darker spot that I assume will be the eye. I've decided not to candle again until day 7.

Have you looked at the candling progression pics that is stickied at the top of this forum? They are excellent pictures and show what the fetus looks like at every day from day 1 to 18.

 

[cluckitall]

Yeah, I'm now on day 5 too and oddly enough, the very distinct darker yolks have lightened up massively. Now they've got veins and a squiggly, and are only a shade or so darker than the surrounding albumen. Very cool!

There are some WONDERFUL candling pictures on here! I don't remember whose this one was, but I was SO excited today when I candled my eggs and they looked just like this

:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/5600013

 

[yo burrill]

Be very careful candling before day five. The first blood vessels are very fragile. There is a reason broody hens usually dont get off the nest the first three days or so... at least mine usually dont. I was loosing alot of eggs at my second candling when I was candling early. Now I wait til day seven and am having much fewer eggs that are dying that first week.

 

[cluckitall]

Yo burrill, thanks for the tip! Next time around I won't be so eager, but this first time I've just been fascinated by the whole process. I only set eight eggs, looking on it more as a test run and learning experience, but so far things are proceeding nicely. And hi from Ohio! I miss Maine so much, but the growing season down here is unbelievable