I have some chickens sitting on fertile eggs, (as you may know),, a "candled " them last night,, took my mini mag flashlight out to the coop, and used that,, but ,, GREEN EGGS, how do you candle the gren ones?? couldnt get a bit of light to shine thru

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), May 10, 2002

Answers

Stan, Do you have them under a hen? I would just go by the calander either way. It is usually 21 days I believe, but I would leave them for an extra 5 or so then just toss them. From what I have heard the darker colored eggs are very hard to candle.

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), May 10, 2002.

brown eggs I "candled" just fine, but the green ones are the problem, I saw a chick in most of them, so I figure they are doing well at least

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), May 10, 2002.

One site suggests that you can tell by a weight change in the eggs, but you would of needed to weight the eggs from the start, so no help. I've some green egg layers and have not been able to see the air sack or anything else in mine, so no answers, other than to wait and see if they hatch.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), May 10, 2002.

Its Simple!! ether they will hatch or they wont!!! LOL!!

-- Grizz Wondering the outskirts of DC!! (southerneagle@yahoo.com), May 11, 2002.

I'm tempted to quote "Dr Seuss", but won't :>) How about using a paper core like from a TP roll to act as a reflector/amplifier collar on the maglight?

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 11, 2002.

the mini mag I am useing fits the eggs perfectly,, only thing else I can think of is to use a larger torch,, then the papaer idea should work,, but,,is there a chance of "blinding" the little dude in the egg??

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), May 11, 2002.

I noticed my hens would roll the occasional 'dud' out of the nest box. Sometimes out of the henhouse altogether. I know they were duds because by the time I found them they were stone cold and I wanted to see if there was anything inside them, so I candled them. Sure enough, they were not fertile. As far as candling the green and blue ones, I don't know either. But if your hen rolls it out of the nest box, it may not be fertile anyway. Just thought I'd add my 2 cents worth.

-- Gardener (peph@wt.net), May 11, 2002.