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Candle Chicken Eggs

Why Candle a Chicken Egg?
The most common reason to candle a chick egg is to check to see if the egg is fertilized and if the embryo is developing properly.Why Candle Unfertilized Eggs?
Larger scale operations may also candle a chicken egg to ensure the egg meets its quality standards, even when the hen is not exposed to a rooster. Read more about the outcome of eggs laid without a rooster in this article: How Do Chickens Lay Eggs Without a Rooster?Egg Candling Tools
Modern processes use an artificial light source such as a flashlight, light bulb, or lamp.DIY Egg Candling Tools
There’s also an option to make one of your own. Here’s a youtube video that walks you through the process of making a DIY egg candler:Using a Flashlight for Egg Candling
A commonly used option is simply using the flashlight or flashlight from a phone to shine through the eggs. If you are working on a smaller scale, and only need to check for fertilization, this is an affordable option.Egg Candling Process
To begin candling, you are going to want to be in a very dark room. The darkness will help you to visualize what is going on inside the egg. You will put the wider end of your egg on whatever tool you have chosen, and carefully adjust the egg until you have the best seal with the light.Getting Started
Once you have the best possible seal, turn on the light and take a look at the egg. Fertilized eggs should have a network of blood vessels that run under the shell of the egg. These can appear light in color or red when candling.Internal Egg Structure
The surest sign of successful fertilization is a dark embryo, that can be visualized in the middle of the egg. The contents of the egg will look different depending on when the egg was fertilized. Read our related article, How is a Chicken Egg Fertilized? to learn about the mating and reproductive processes of chickens!What if my Egg isn’t Fertile?
When candling, especially early on, don’t become discouraged if you do not see any embryonic development. Some of the early signs can be very subtle. If you do not see any development, give the eggs a few more days to develop, and then check again.What if My Egg’s Development is Behind?
If you have an egg that seems to be behind in development, it is always the best practice to be patient and give the egg a chance. There are a number of factors that the egg could appear behind, but it could still hatch with its siblings. Read our related article on Everything You Need to Know About Chicken Eggs. This article takes a deep dive into all things chicken egg!Chicken Egg Candling Day 1-21

Egg Candling Chart
The best way to see what to expect is to use a chart. The chart from incubatorwarehouse.com is a good start. Egg Candling and Breakout Analysis, from the University of California, also provides helpful comparisons to infertile eggs and eggs that have died in incubation to help you know what you’re looking at when candling an egg.How to Candle a Chicken Eggs in an Incubator With a Flashlight
Can you Take your Eggs Out of the Incubator?
When you are using an incubator for your eggs, you may be wary of taking the eggs out of the incubator. Remember, if the chicks were being hatched out by a mother hen, she would likely get off of the eggs for short periods of time. This means that it is totally okay to remove your eggs from the incubator a few times during their incubation to candle them.Handling the Egg
Before removing the eggs from the incubator, wash and dry your hands thoroughly. The oil from your hands could clog the egg’s pores, which are necessary for oxygen exchange between the chick and the environment. From there, simply handle the egg carefully, candle it, and return it to the incubator. Read More: How Does a Chicken Lay an Egg Everyday? Discover the ins and outs of egg-making here!Incubators With Candling Functions
If you decide that you do not want to take your eggs out to candle them, some incubators have a candling function included. With this function, you can turn the lights off and turn on the candling function to check your chicks’ progress without removing them from the incubator.Where to Buy Candling Equipment
Here’s an egg incubator that has both functions. As you can see, this option is a bit pricey. Many egg incubators include a single candling tool on the top, which allows you to remove and candle your eggs one at a time. Both of these options are great, but remember that you can always use any sort of light to shine through your eggs in order to candle them. Read our related article on How to Hatch a Chicken Egg Without an Incubator! We explore various DIY options to help you hatch chicks.What to Do When the Eggs Hatch

After the Chicks Have Hatched
The chicks will need to stay in the incubator until all the eggs have had a chance to hatch. After this, move all of the chicks to the brooder. Hatching is a difficult task, so they will be exhausted.Feeding Newly Hatched Chicks
Make sure to offer them water and food. There are a few options when it comes to food such as:- Commercial feed
- Snacks
- Homemade feed
- Natural Feed