Egg candlers
Advantages of the FRD-10 egg candler
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Can accurately candle all poultry egg types including chickens, ducks and quail
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Powered by a USB cable or portable battery case
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Includes instructions on how to candle eggs
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Free delivery to any Australian street address or PO Box
$36.00 inc. GST
In stock & free delivery
Introduction to egg candlers
What is an egg candler?
An egg candler (also called an egg candling torch) is a tool that uses a light focus beam and a bright light to observe the development of an embryo inside an egg during incubation.
Do I need an egg candler?
Most people with an egg incubator have an egg candler. An egg candler is optional, but having one provides the following advantages:
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You can check how many of the eggs are fertile early in the incubation process. This means you’re alerted to any fertility issues early on rather than waiting until the hatch date. Knowing how many of the eggs are fertile also helps you plan for how many chicks you’ll need to take care of.
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Any infertile eggs can be removed from your egg incubator. This prevents them from rotting. Rotting eggs can smell and may even break open, creating a mess in your egg incubator that’s difficult to clean. Removing infertile eggs will also create more room on the hatching tray for the chicks to hatch.
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You can watch the embryos develop throughout the incubation process. It’s always an exciting process to observe!
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Any eggs that don’t hatch can be candled to help diagnose when the embryos stopped developing. This can help diagnose potential issues and improve future hatch rates.
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Before setting eggs in your egg incubator, they can be candled to check for hairline cracks. Eggs with hairline cracks shouldn’t be incubated. Hairline cracks are difficult to spot with the naked eye but become clearly visible as white lines when using an egg candler.
What type of eggs can I candle using the FRD-10 egg candler?
The FRD-10 egg candler comes with a small light focus beam for quail eggs, and a large light focus beam for chicken, duck, guinea fowl, goose, turkey and any other medium to large size poultry eggs. The FRD-10 egg candler can even candle dark-coloured eggs, such as Marans chicken eggs.
FRD-10 egg candler with large chicken egg light focus beam attached.
FRD-10 egg candler with small quail egg light focus beam attached.
Candling eggs
How do I candle eggs using an egg candler?
For the best results, eggs should be candled in a dark environment. Waiting until night-time and switching off other lights will create the best environment to candle eggs. Try not to leave your egg incubator switched off with the lid open for more than five minutes when candling eggs.
Start by holding the larger, rounded end of the egg against the light focus beam of the egg candler. There should be a secure fit between the light focus beam and the egg. It’s a good idea to first candle an egg that has not been incubated to see how light travels straight through. An infertile egg will not develop and will look the same as an egg that hasn’t been incubated.
If the egg is fertile, the light will illuminate signs of development. At day seven, blood vessels will be visible throughout a fertilised chicken egg. By the 14th day of chicken egg incubation, it’s often possible to see the embryo move inside the egg. On the 18th day, most of the light travelling through a fertile chicken egg will be blocked by the large embryo.
Is it possible to test the fertility of eggs under a broody hen with the FRD-10 egg candler?
Yes, the FRD-10 egg candler can be used to candle eggs from an egg incubator or broody hen. The portable battery case makes it easy to use anywhere.
When and how often can eggs be candled during the incubation process?
Eggs can be candled after the 5th day of incubation until three days before they are due to hatch. The developing embryos are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations during the first five days of incubation, so it's best not to candle them during this time. Candling eggs during the final three days of incubation should be avoided, as the incubator must maintain a higher and stable relative humidity level during this time.
Eggs can be candled as often as once per day between day six and three days before the hatch is due to occur. If your egg incubator requires you to open the lid to refill the water channel, it’s a good idea to candle the eggs at the same time.
What should I do with any eggs that aren’t fertile?
Any eggs that aren’t fertile will not hatch and should be removed from the egg incubator. If you’re unsure whether an egg is fertile or not, it’s best to continue to incubate it to be safe.
Frequently asked questions about the FRD-10 egg candler
How is the FRD-10 egg candler powered?
The FRD-10 egg candler comes with a USB power cable and a portable battery case. You can choose which one you would like to use to power the egg candler.
The USB cable can be plugged into a USB port to power the FRD-10 egg candler. Many customers use their USB-compatible phone charger.
The FRD-10 egg candler also comes with a portable battery case. The battery case uses three standard AA batteries to power the egg candler. The three AA batteries aren’t included, so you might like to purchase a packet if you don’t already have some.
FRD-10 egg candler connected to the portable battery case.
Do I need to purchase any other accessories for my FRD-10 egg candler?
All of the accessories, including the different-sized light focus beams, USB power cable, and portable battery case are included. The FRD-10 egg candler also comes with a storage box to keep everything together. You won’t need to purchase anything else separately.
Will the light bulb ever need replacing?
The FRD-10 egg candler uses a reliable LED light, so you’ll never need to worry about replacing a light bulb.
How long will it take to receive my FRD-10 egg candler?
Poultry Australia sends FRD-10 egg candlers via Australia Post. FRD-10 egg candlers are in stock, and we aim to send orders placed before 3 pm on the same business day. Delivery usually takes between two and six business days. Australia Post express post can also be selected at the checkout. An email with the tracking number will be sent as soon as your order has been posted.
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