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Candling

By Alyson Burgess, About.com

Definition: "Candling" is a term used to describe a method by which bird breeders check to see if eggs are fertile or not. When an egg is candled, a bright light is held behind it, to illuminate the shape of the contents of the shell. The breeder will then determine whether or not the egg is fertile based on the color, shape, and opacity of the contents.
Common Misspellings: candleing
Examples: Most breeders of parrots and other exotic birds are proficient in candling eggs.

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