If you are hatching chicks with either the incubator method or the broody hen method. I recommend candling your eggs and marking any fertilized eggs she will be sitting on and removing any extras she tries to hoard (she will still other hens’ eggs). She can usually handle 6-10 eggs just fine. We use our bantam hens to hatch eggs. So, letting them hatch the bigger eggs, this is a safe number for her. Of course, she’s not going to lay that many eggs, so we may gather eggs for a few days and give them to her to sit on.
She will flatten herself out to cover those eggs. She will also turn her eggs. She can also reject eggs that are not viable.
Eggs will hatch in 21 days plus or minus.
The miracle is how you gave her eggs days apart, but they will develop and all hatch out just about at the same time.
How to Candling Your Eggs?
Candling eggs is a simple and important part of hatching—it’s how you check whether an egg is developing properly. You shine a bright light (flashlight) through the egg to see what’s going on inside without cracking it open.
What You Need:
- A bright flashlight or an egg candler (a small device made for this purpose)
- A dark room
- Clean hands, Patience and gentleness
Candling Tips:
- Be gentle—don’t shake or rotate too fast
- Candle in a warm, draft-free space
- Always wash your hands before and after handling
- Mark the good eggs with a pencil (don’t use ink).
🐣🐥Candling eggs is a crucial step in the incubation process, allowing you to monitor embryo development and identify any issues early on. To assist you, here’s a visual guide illustrating what to look for during candling at various stages
🐣 Egg Candling Visual Guide
Day 5-7 Early Development
What to Look For: A small dark spot (the embryo) with spider-like blood vessels radiating outward. Significance: Indicates a viable, developing embryo.
Day 10-14: Mid-Incubation
What to Look For: A larger dark mass filling more of the egg, with visible movement and a well-defined air cell at the wider end. Significance: Shows continued healthy development
Day 18: Pre-Hatching
What to Look For: The egg appears mostly dark as the chick occupies most space; the air cell is larger, and movement may be limited. Significance: Chick is positioning itself for hatching; avoid further candling to prevent disruption.
Unfertilized or Non-Developing Eggs
What to Look For: Egg remains clear with no visible embryo or blood vessels. Significance: Indicates infertility or early embryo death; such eggs should be removed to prevent contamination.
Eggs with Blood Rings
What to Look For: A distinct red ring inside the egg. Significance: Signifies embryo death; these eggs should also be removed.
Why Mark Eggs?
- Track Development: Helps you monitor which eggs are progressing.
- Identify Rotation: Essential for manual turning—marking helps you rotate them evenly.
- Avoid Confusion: If you’re adding more eggs later or hatching different breeds, marks prevent mix-ups.
How to Mark Eggs Safely
- Use a pencil – It’s safe and won’t seep through the shell. Avoid ink, markers, or anything with chemicals.
- Simple marks work best – A light “X” on one side and an “O” on the other is common for turning. You can also write the date or a number for identification.
- Keep it gentle – Don’t press hard or scratch the shell.
Conclusion
Candling isn’t just practical—it’s awe-inspiring. There’s something deeply rewarding about watching the tiny flicker of life inside an egg and knowing you’ve played a part in nurturing it. With patience, care, and a steady hand, candling becomes more than a chore; it becomes a meaningful step in the journey from egg to fluffy chick.
So, grab your flashlight, find a dark corner, and enjoy the process. Each egg holds a story—and with candling, you get a front-row seat to watch it unfold.
Raising Chickens -Blog Post
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