To the uninitiated, the term candling an egg conjures up an image of children painting candles while getting ready for the easter bunny, or perhaps a fourth-grade science experiment to show the inside of an egg. The opposite is true, and, for most chicken farming operations, it is a fundamental requirement to maximize the return from the business.
Candling an egg is a simple process that requires no special training and involves shining a string light through an egg to check its condition. There are three possible outcomes; namely, the embryo is growing (winner), the embryo has stopped growing (quitter), or it was never fertilized (yolker).
The person who is candling an egg is looking for signs that the egg has been fertilized and is still growing inside the shell. It is a very simple process, and the signs are obvious, even to a new chicken farmer without experience.
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What Does It Mean To Candle An Egg?
When a chicken farming operation candles the eggs according to a structured schedule, it enables active monitoring of the chick embryo, removes the element of surprise, and allows the farmer to respond sooner if there is a problem.
Candling assists the farmer in two ways.
- The farmer can use the candling torch to determine the hatchability of shipped hatching eggs.
- It assists the farmer in spotting a problem that may need to be addressed during incubation.
The Best Method To Candle Eggs
The best thing about candling the eggs is that it is easy and completed quickly.
To achieve a quick and accurate image, all you need is some darkness, bright light, and some eggs.
Step One – Establish The Schedule To Candle Your Eggs.
You don’t want to candle the eggs every day, so it is important to work out a schedule that enables you to find the following eggs. The first time you should candle eggs in the incubator is six to eight days after they are placed in the incubator.
The purpose of this candling is to remove any non-fertilized eggs (called yolkers) to prevent them from going rotten and exploding!
It is recommended that the first candling of darker, brown-shelled eggs takes place a couple of days after the white-shelled eggs because it is harder to see the first stages of the embryo development than white eggs.
The second time to candle your eggs will be approximately seven to eight days later. During this session, you will look for fertilization where the embryo has stopped growing (called quitters).
You can also remove any non-fertilized (yolkers) eggs you may have missed in the first candling.
If there were any question mark eggs, you cannot confidently characterize as a quitter or winner should be re-candled a couple of days later.
All eggs 14 days or older must not be handled and should be left for final hatching.
Fertilized Eggs With Growing Embryos
The first reason you are candling the eggs is to verify that the egg is fertilized, and secondly, that the embryo is developing satisfactorily. Eggs that have been successfully fertilized are called “winners.”
Non-Fertilized Eggs With No Embryos
The second reason is to identify a non-fertilized egg called a “yolker.” The yolkers must be removed from the incubator as soon as they are found, as failing to do this will cause them to rot, and if it is not removed, they will eventually explode, which is a great way to ruin your day.
Fertilized Eggs Where The Embryos Have Stopped Growing
The third reason you are candling the egg is to find fertilized eggs where the embryo has stopped developing and is at risk of rotting and exploding. Eggs with embryos that have stopped developing are called “quitters.”
Step Two – Prepare To Candle The Eggs
Have a darkened room and the candling torch ready for action.
What Light Should You Use To Candle Eggs?
While you can use a powerful torch or a homemade Candler, the most effective method is to use a candling torch such as the models found at this Amazon link (Candling Torch).
Most of the available candling torches have the following features.
- An LED light for maximum brightness gives you the best view of the inside of the egg.
- They can create a tight seal against the base of the egg and so reduce the amount of light that escapes.
- A design that reduces the potential for dropping the egg.
- A design that limits the time you need to spend handling the egg.
Step 3 – Mount The Egg
If you have a “proper” Candler Tester, mount the egg, or if not, shine a bright flashlight on the reverse side of the egg.
The best position to mount the egg, or shine the light on it, is the end with the larger diameter at the place where the egg sack develops and turn the egg until you get the best view of its inside and the embryo.
Fertilized Eggs
The fertilized eggs with a growing embryo develop a network of white blood vessels. If it has a dark outline in the middle of all the blood vessels, it is the embryo and is, therefore, a fertilized egg. Sometimes it is possible to see the eyes of the embryo or even a slight movement in the embryo.
Non-Fertilized Eggs
Eggs that were not fertilized will show no signs of a fertilized egg, which means there will be no blood vessels or a dark outline of the embryo in the middle of the blood vessels.
These eggs should immediately be removed before they start to rot and ultimately explode.
The Fertilized Eggs Which Have Stopped Developing
If the embryo of an egg has stopped developing, it means that it has died. Signs of this include the blood vessels forming a “blood circle.”
It happens when the blood vessels start decomposing and detach from the embryo, causing them to form a circle that spans the egg’s circumference.
An egg that has stopped developing can often be identified by a dark red streaking inside the egg. It is not a foolproof method and rather weights for the red ring to develop before discarding one of these eggs.
Things To Keep In Mind When Candling Eggs
- Don’t candle the eggs every day because this will disturb and negatively impact growth and development. Three times in the development cycle of an egg are generally sufficient.
- Never leave the fertilized eggs outside the incubator for longer than half an hour.
- When you candle the eggs, always mark the ones with a date and a description of what is happening. It will help you identify any issues you need to look out for next time you candle them.
- When you identify an egg as non-fertilized (yolker) or one that has failed to grow (quitter), never put them back in the incubator; however, if you are uncertain, mark it as such, and recheck at the next interval.
Conclusion
Candling eggs is a necessary process if you want to maximize the returns from your chicken farm. It is easy to do and will help you quickly remove the eggs, which may rot and explode in the incubator.
