Candling is an process that can be used to inspect quail eggs while they is being incubated. Candling allow a person to determine if a quail egg is fertile or infertile. To perform candling, a bright light is shined through the quail eggshells.
Quail eggs has thick, speckled shells, which make it difficult for individuals to view the contents of an egg without using a bright light. By candling the eggs, farmers can determine which eggs contain the embryoes, and which eggs are “auditory” or do not contain any embryos. The “auditory” quail eggs can be removed from the incubator to prevent them from rotting, and the bacteria that can be present within those eggs from infecting the other quail eggs in the incubator.
How to Check Quail Eggs with a Light
To candle the eggs, individuals use a bright LED penlight in a dark area. Individuals shine the light against one of the wide end of the egg, while the egg is held in the hands to prevent any light from entering the eggshell. During the first week of incubation, only a shadowy spot will be seen within the eggshell, which is normal due to the presence of the embryo being so small.
Around the end of the first week, a web-like pattern of veins will be seen surrounding the embryo. These vein indicate that the embryo is alive. Should an individual not see these veins within the egg, the egg is not developing an embryo, and that egg should be removed from the incubator.
Candling should not be performed very frequent on the quail eggs. Because the shells of the eggs are thin, the quail eggs will lose heat quickly if they are frequently removed from the incubator. If the eggs are candled too often, the temperature within the incubator may drop, which could stress the embryos within the eggs.
Therefore, candling should only be performed at specific time intervals during incubation. During the mid-incubation period, the embryo will have developed into a dark mass, which fills a major portion of the egg. The embryo may also appear to move within the egg.
Additionally, the air cell within the egg can be inspected. The air cell expands as the egg loses moisture, and the size of the air cell can indicate to the incubator the humidity within the incubator. If the air cell is too large, the humidity within the incubator is too low.
However, if the air cell is too small, the humidity is too high within the incubator. There are a few indication of when the embryo within the quail egg has died. A blood ring can form against the shell of the egg.
The blood ring indicate that the embryo has died. Additionally, if the interior of the egg appears to be cloudy, the egg may be rotten and contain bacteria that could impact other eggs in the incubator. Any egg with these features should be removed from the incubator.
However, if the embryo appears to be dark within the egg, but no movement is seen, it may be better to allow the egg to remain within the incubator for 24 hours. During this time, the warmth of the incubator may help to reveal if the embryo is alive. In order to candle the eggs effectively, certain equipment should be used.
For instance, a penlight with 300 lumens or more should be used to allow for the bright light needed to view the contents of the thick-shelled quail eggs. Additionally, any area where the eggs are candled should be dark. Finally, a warm tray upon which to place the eggs may be used to prevent the eggs from becoming too cold while they is being candled.
In the final stage of incubation, known as lockdown, the quail eggs should be allowed to remain within the incubator for the final few days of incubation. Lockdown occurs around day 14 of the incubation period. During lockdown, the air cell within the egg should contain one-third of the interior of the eggshell.
During this stage, the eggs should not be turned within the incubator, and the humidity within the incubator should be increased. Additionally, the lid of the incubator should not be opened during the final days of incubation, as opening the incubator will allow for the humidity within the incubator to drop and for the temperature to decrease. Additionally, the quail chick within the egg will use its beak to make a hole in the shell.
This process is called pipping, and indicates that the quail chick is preparing to hatch from its shell. After the quail completes its process of hatching from its shell, it will need to remain in a dry area until it can be moved to a brooder.