I candle my eggs in the incubator at Day 7 out of curiosity. I take no action at that time. I candle again as I go into lockdown, removing any clears to reduce the number of eggs I watch during hatch. If you notice a rotten egg smell sniff them and remove those. I've never smelled the rotten egg smell in my incubator before hatch. I have at the end of a hatch that got stretched out for three days due to the mess at hatching supporting bacteria growth.Another question- other than curiosity is there any reason to candle eggs? I’d rather not put anymore stress on my broody than necessary, even though the anticipation will kill me. But If there’s an egg that didnt take, there’s no harm in it sitting there the whole 3 weeks, correct?
I never candle under a broody hen. As long as the bloom remains intact the eggs should be OK. The only time I've had a rotten egg under broody hens was when an egg broke and got the egg fluids on the other eggs, which compromised the bloom.
I don't candle to look for rotten eggs. The smell will tell me that. I candle for other reasons when I candle.
I agree with that statement. That's one reason I don't candle a broody hen's eggs.It's human fiddling and interference that causes most of the problems with natural brooding.
If the bloom is compromised on an egg under a broody, bacteria can enter so an egg can explode or leak due to bacteria growing. But that is very rare. Besides, I'm not looking for those tiny bacteria when I candle. I can't see them. But I can smell the results.