Would you like to learn how to use an egg candler? If so, this article is meant for you. Farmers typically use an egg candler, a device designed to test eggs from backyard chickens during the incubation period, to determine if the eggs are viable or not.
A viable egg has already been fertilized, and an embryo is capable of growing inside and hatching. Nowadays, light bulbs are used for egg candling by directing the light inside the egg to see if the egg is developing into a chick, and they are one of your essential tools if you want to hatch chicks.
Candling only indicates whether an egg is viable on the fourth day after incubation, when the blood vessels of the embryo begin to develop.
There are various steps to follow while using the egg Candler, and these include:
- Setting the candling equipment in an appropriate position near the incubator.
- Hold the eggs and place them with the larger side of the egg (air sac side) facing the light. Ensure you tilt the egg to all the sides until you have a clear view.
- Mark each egg with a different number so that you can compare your results after the second candling process.
- Check if the eggs are viable. This can be observed by examining blood vessels that tend to spread from the center of the egg outward. With a good light source, you may also be able to see the embryo outline at the center of the egg or even see the embryo moving if you are lucky enough. Check also if the egg is not viable. You can use an egg Candler to see whether an egg is not viable, which is by observing the development of a blood ring or blood spot inside the egg.
- Discard the non-viable eggs to prevent them from exploding or going bad inside the incubator.
- Gently place the eggs back in the incubator or nest after observing them. Ensure you don’t keep the eggs from the incubator for more than 20-30 minutes.
Some eggs can also be Yorker, that is, an egg that was not fertilized and thus cannot develop an embryo. The inside of the eggs has no blood vessels, blood spots, or even dark spots; it is just clear. It’s thus important for you to clearly and carefully observe the eggs.
It’s advice if one is not sure whether the eggs are viable or not to leave them and keep observing. It isn’t easy to candle speckled or brown eggs since they do not become transparent under the light; thus, a high-intensity light is required.
