How to find out if an egg will hatch

It is not advisable to candle an egg after 16 days as this may interfere with the embryo. FILE PHOTO |

What you need to know:

  • Candling is the process of checking the quality of an egg using illuminating light.
  • The candler works by illuminating the interior of an egg with a bright light to see what is inside the shell.

Candling is the process of checking the quality of an egg using illuminating light.

This helps to ensure the interior of the egg is free of blood spots, cracks and other defects.

Using a candler, a farmer will also know which eggs are fertile, which will hatch into chicks or tell if a fertilised egg has stopped developing.

The candler works by illuminating the interior of an egg with a bright light to see what is inside the shell.

Candling equipment doesn’t need to be very specific, though one can choose to buy devices that are powered either by batteries or a plug-in cord.

However, you can improvise your candler at home.

To candle your eggs at home, find a bright source of light with an opening smaller than the diameter of the eggs you intend to candle.

Place, for instance, a 60 watt light bulb inside a coffee can and make a hole with an inch (2.5cm) diameter at the top of the container.

Alternatively, you can take a very bright flashlight and cover the opening with a piece of cardboard with a hole of an inch diameter at the centre or use a three-inch empty tissue paper tube and a flash light. With these, you are now set to candle your eggs.

Candling in a dark room gives good results. Select an egg and hold it above the light. Place the larger end of the egg directly against the light.

Hold the egg near the top, between your thumb and the forefinger. Tilt the egg slightly to one side and rotate until you get the best view.

Mark each egg you candle with a number and take notes of your findings.

BAD SMELL

It is tricky to candle brown or speckled eggs as the shells are a bit dark for light to penetrate Much attention is required when dealing with such eggs.

You may come across some eggs with blood rings of well-defined red circle.

Others may have blood spots or blood streaks inside.

However, these dark patches can be difficult to distinguish from an egg with healthy embryo at this early stage.

Discard eggs with deformities as they can begin to rot and eventually burst, contaminating the rest of the eggs with bacteria and create very bad smell. However, it is not advisable to candle an egg after 16 or 17 days.

At this point, the eggs have mostly developed and they should be left alone for the last few days before hatching. They should not be turned from day 18.