Candling Eggs

Townie · Candling Eggs

Candling Eggs.

I have 6 pekin eggs due to hatch yesterday/today/tomorrow lol

I bought a small led torch this evening and went out to check, just to make sure they were ok... 5 of the eggs I couldnt see a damn thing through them, they were dark no light shone through at all, so I presume they have chicks inside... however, the sixth egg was see through (i could see right through and there was an orange ring on one side) presumed nothing inside so have removed this.

Does this sound about right? I have googled and researched and just looking for a bit of reassurance... god i'm like a worried granny sitting here

wildgarlic

I reckon so Townie - hope they hatch for you tomorrow. I have seen movement in mine when candled but that was using a good strong candling torch in a darkened room to get the full effect.

Townie

Thanks Shirley... I'll keep my fingers crossed that something happens tomorrow...

They were put under the broody at 6pm on friday the 8th May just sitting with the calendar now and friday the 29th is a full 21 days, but Sass had mentioned they might arrive a couple of days early because theyre only teeny wee eggs. Fingers crossed..

Mother hen ... over and out

jaydee67

Try this:
http://shilala.homestead.com/candling.html

Good luck!

Townie

Thanks Julia... I have already had a wee peek at that site its very informative

Sassinak

Don't worry Townie, I had some due yesterday and there is no sign of any pipping yet. I candled a couple to reassure myself and they are alive so I will be patient - I'm not very good at that, I want instand gratification lol

jaydee67

Got some of a friends due to hatch Friday (I think) so will be waiting impatiently too!

pete_inthehills

last night when I went in to check the eggs, I thought that the fan had developed a squeek, but it was one of the eggs. This morning there is a crack in the egg and it was rocking a bit.

Why did I have to go to work?! I wanted to stay at home and watch.

pete
inthehills

Townie

Take a half day's holiday or just throw a sickie

It's definately exciting stuff, I han hardly wait for brenda's batch to hatch

I'm even considering putting in a days holiday and taking tomrrow off

Looking forward to seeing the pics of your new cheeps.

wildgarlic

webcam?

Sassinak

I've got 1 Poland hatched and at least half a dozen that are pipped, so it is gong to happen

Townie

Are Poland's are the ones with the tufty heads?

God the suspense is killing me here, I just want to go home LOL

Sassinak

Huge big pompom on their heads.
The most common colour is black with a big white pompom. But these are gold laced (Brown feathers with black edges) and Chamois (Fawn feathers with white edges) and there is a chance that some of them might be frizzled as well. Cross your fingers

Townie

They sound lovely colours...

Next year when my pekins go broody i'm going to try hatching some frizzle pekins

Sass... did you say at your housewarming that you were in the process of hatching frizzle pekins or that you had hatched some?

Would be great to see some pics of them if you have any

Sassinak

I've just got 1 little frizzled lavender girl. Will have to try and find her a husband

Townie

Awww she sounds lovely, you will need to post a wee picture of her.

Have you hatched any lemon cuckoo pekins before?

We'll need to set up a Pekin Bantam Appreciation Society

I absiolutely love my wee pekins

Sassinak

I sold a pair of lemon cuckoo at the rare breeds sale last month. The cockerel was lovely, but more buff with cuckoo markings than lemon.
Basically I'm trying to downsize a bit and cut down on the number of colours and breeds that I keep.
I'm not putting the incubator on this year to hatch any more hahaha that didn't last long

I now have 3 Polands and 1 partridge Pekin out

Forget-me-Not · Candling

A web cam would be brilliant!!!! I can't remember when I started being chicken mad but I remember being on a school trip with eldest to a farm shop and we went to collect eggs in a field with a hen house in the middle. I stood literally surrounded by orange hens and felt like I was in heaven. The need for chooks was already huge by then. Next week I'm getting a copper blue maran and if two are females a couple of light sussexs that hatched yesterday, (when they're old enough to move). I can't wait!!!

One day I'd like to hatch some with an incubator

Beth

pete_inthehills

Click to see full size image

The wife tells me there are three eggs with the same little crack in them and all three are cheeping to each other.

pete
inthehills

Sassinak

What breed are they Pete?

pete_inthehills

ok, well the little white ones are silkies and the brown ones are cuckoo marans.

One has hatched and is now dry and very noisy.

Do I need to rig up a heat lamp over night?

Or should I just put a heater in the room that contains their cage?

pete
inthehills

Sassinak

I'd leave them in the incubator until tomorrow. Mine that have hatched so far will stay in there until tomorrow morning. They have enough yolk sac to keep them going for 24 hours

Townie

Checked Brenda this morning and could hear a cheap... peeked underneath her and we have one chick hatched and from what I could see another egg has pipped

couldnt see the rest of the eggs.

Cant wait to get home tonight !

wildgarlic

YAY was wondering how things were progressing!

Townie

4 out of the eggs have hatched

I have a wee question... how much longer should I leave the remaining egg under Brenda? I checked it this morning and there is no sign of pipping

Sassinak

I normally leave them 24 hours after the last one has hatched - although she will decide for herself. SHe won't ignore nice little peeping chicks for the sake of them. As soon as the chicks want to wander she will go with them.

Sassinak

How are your chicks doing Townie?

You should start being able to pick out the cockerels now (I'll cross my fingers that you haven't got any) the combs on the boys will just be starting to look red when compared with the girls. It's still not a guarantee I'm afraid, I had one last year that waited until about 4 months old before it suddenly sprouted a big comb grrr