Hatching chicken eggs is a very rewarding experience, which requires good planning, dedication, flexibility, and the ability to observe. Chicken eggs have a incubation period of 21 days and can be hatched using special and supervised incubators, or using hens. Use the following guide to hatch chicken eggs using both methods.
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Method 1 of 3: Selecting Eggs and Hatching Method
Step 1. Find out where you can get fertile eggs
Fertile eggs should be obtained from hatcheries or chicken farms that have roosters, if you are not breeding the chickens yourself. You can also buy fresh farm eggs from the person selling them. Be sure to check with the supplier beforehand, to ensure breeding hens and egg supplies are available. An officer in your area or a chicken farm specialist may be able to suggest the right place.
- The eggs you buy from the grocery store are not fertile eggs and don't hatch.
- For disease prevention and health reasons, it is better to buy all eggs from one place.
- If you are looking for a specific breed of chicken or a rare one, you may have to contact a specialized hatchery.
Step 2. Be careful if your eggs are shipped
You should be careful when buying eggs online and receiving them by mail, especially if you are a beginner. Eggs that are shipped are more difficult to hatch than eggs from your own chickens or from local farms.
- Typically, eggs that are not shipped have an 80 percent chance of hatching, whereas eggs that are shipped have only a 50 percent chance.
- However, if the eggs are treated very harshly during shipping, chances are they all won't hatch, even if you did everything right.
Step 3. Choose eggs wisely
If you can pick your own eggs, there are a few things to keep in mind. You should choose eggs from breed hens that are mature and healthy; they must match their mate and produce fertile eggs (about three). Breed chickens should also be given a special diet.
- Avoid choosing eggs that are too big or small, or that are oddly shaped. Large eggs are difficult to hatch and small eggs produce small chicks.
- Avoid eggs with cracked or thin shells. These eggs are difficult to store the moisture needed for chick development. Cracked or thin skin is also more susceptible to disease.
Step 4. Understand if you have a rooster
You should keep in mind that the eggs will likely hatch a 50:50 mix between males and females. If you live in an urban area, roosters will cause trouble and raising them can sometimes be against city regulations! If you can't keep a rooster, you'll need to find a place for him. Even if you won't keep them, you should think of a plan so that the roosters don't over-breed or injure the hen.
- You should understand that there is no way to tell whether an egg contains a hen or a male before it hatches. While the usual male to female ratio is 50:50, you may not be lucky and hatch 7 roosters out of 8 eggs, which will be useless for breeding chickens.
- If you intend to keep all or some of the roosters, there are several things you should consider, such as you need to have sufficient space so that the hens do not over-breed. This can result in the hen's head and back feathers being pulled and the comb injury, and even worse, can be injured by the rooster's claws. Too many roosters can also lead to a lot of fighting.
- It is recommended that you keep one rooster for every ten or so hens. This is a great comparison if you want to have fertile chickens.
Step 5. Decide whether you want to use an incubator or a hen
You have two options for hatching eggs, you can incubate them using an incubator or using a hen. Both options have advantages and disadvantages that must be considered before proceeding with the process.
- An incubator is a cage with adjustable temperature, humidity, and ventilation. With an incubator, you are the only person responsible for the eggs. You are in charge of setting up the incubator, monitoring the temperature, humidity and ventilation inside the incubator, as well as turning the eggs. Small incubators can be purchased, but you can also make your own. If you bought it, follow the instructions provided.
- Hens can be used to incubate and incubate eggs, even if they are not her own. This is a great and natural way to hatch eggs. Make sure you choose a breed that likes to brood, such as Silky, Cochin, Orpington, and Old English Game chickens.
Step 6. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of each method
Incubators and hens have advantages and disadvantages in incubating eggs. Recognizing them will help to make good decisions for your situation.
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Advantages of the incubator:
Using an incubator is a good option if you don't have hens or if this is your first time hatching eggs. An incubator lets you have control over the hatching process. Incubators are also the best option for hatching large numbers of eggs.
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Disadvantages of the incubator:
The biggest obstacle to using an incubator is that the process relies entirely on a power source. If there is a sudden power cut or someone accidentally pulls the plug of the incubator, this will affect the eggs, even killing the baby chicks inside. If you don't already have an incubator, you'll need to buy one, and it can be very expensive, depending on size and quality.
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The advantages of the hen:
Using hens to incubate eggs is an easy and natural option. With this, you don't have to worry about power outages and damaging the eggs. You don't have to worry about temperature and humidity. Once the eggs hatch, the hen will become the mother, and this is very beautiful to look at.
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Disadvantages of hen:
The hen may not want to incubate when you want to and there's no way to force her to lay eggs, so you'll need to set the timing right. You can buy "broody coop" to protect the chicken and eggs, and prevent damage to the eggs. This can add to the cost of hatching eggs. In addition, hens can only incubate a few eggs at a time. A large hen may incubate a maximum of 10-12 eggs, depending on the size of the egg, whereas a small hen may incubate 6-7 eggs.
Method 2 of 3: Using the Incubator
Step 1. Choose a location to place the incubator
To keep the temperature of the incubator stable, place it where the temperature does not change easily. Do not place it near a window or a place exposed to sunlight. The heat of the sun can raise the temperature high enough to kill the growing embryo.
- Connect to a strong power source, and make sure that the plug cannot be accidentally dislodged.
- Keep the incubator out of reach of small children, cats and dogs.
- In general, it is better to place the incubator on a sturdy surface that cannot be knocked down or stepped on, and where the temperature is stable, away from wind and sun rays.
Step 2. Get to know how to use the incubator
Before starting to hatch chicken eggs, make sure you read all the instructions on the incubator's instructions for use. Make sure you know how to operate fans, lights, and other tools.
Use the supplied thermometer to check the temperature of the incubator. You should do this regularly for 24 hours before using it, to make sure the temperature is right
Step 3. Set the conditions
To successfully incubate chicken eggs, conditions in the incubator must be right. In order for the eggs to be ready to be put into the incubator, you must adjust the conditions in the incubator to be optimal.
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Temperature:
You should incubate the eggs at between 37-38 degrees Celsius (37.5º C is ideal). Avoid temperatures exceeding 36–39 °C. If the temperature becomes extreme for a few days, the chances of hatching will decrease.
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Humidity:
The humidity level in the incubator should be a relative 50-65 percent (60 percent is the ideal humidity level). Moisture is generated from the pot of water under the egg tray. You can use a wet bulb thermometer or hygrometer to measure humidity.
Step 4. Lay the eggs
Once the conditions in the incubator have been adjusted and monitored for at least 24 hours to ensure stability, it is time to add the eggs. Do not add less than 6 eggs. If you only hatched 2 or 3 eggs, especially if they were shipped eggs, they are more likely to fail to hatch. You may only get one chick, or none at all.
- Warm fertile eggs to room temperature. Warming the eggs will reduce the rate and timing of changes in temperature in the incubator after you have laid the eggs.
- Place the eggs in the incubator carefully. Make sure the egg is lying on its side. The larger end of the egg should be higher than the pointed end. This is very important because the embryo can be in the wrong position if the pointed tip is higher and has difficulty making sounds and cracks the eggshell, when it's time to hatch.
Step 5. Let the temperature drop after laying the eggs
The temperature will drop temporarily after you place the eggs in the incubator, but should rise again if you set the incubator correctly.
Do not increase the temperature to match this temperature change as you could damage or kill the embryo
Step 6. Write down the date
By doing this, you can estimate the hatching date of the eggs. Chicken eggs take 21 days to hatch when incubated at the right temperature. Older eggs, eggs left to cool, and eggs that incubate at too low a temperature are still possible to hatch – but it will take longer! If it's reached day 21 and the eggs haven't hatched yet, wait a few more days
Step 7. Turn eggs daily
Eggs should be turned at least three times a day on a regular basis – but five times is better! Some people like to put an X on one side of the egg so they can more easily tell which egg has been turned. Otherwise, it's very easy to forget which eggs have been turned, and whether or not they have been completely turned.
- When turning eggs manually, your hands must be washed and cleaned beforehand to prevent bacteria and oil from entering the surface of the eggs.
- Keep turning the eggs until day 18, then stop to let the chicks determine the appropriate position for hatching.
Step 8. Adjust the humidity level in the incubator
The humidity level should be between 50-60 percent through the incubation process, unless the last 3 days you have to raise it to 65 percent. You may need a higher or lower humidity level depending on the type of egg. Find out information in hatcheries or available books on how to incubate chicken species.
- Refill the water in the water pan regularly or else the humidity level will drop. Always fill with warm water.
- Place the sponge in a pot of water if you want to increase the humidity level.
- Measure the humidity level in the incubator using a wet bulb thermometer. Measure the humidity and temperature of the incubator and write it down. Read charts, online psychometric charts, or books to find out the relative humidity levels of the relationship between wet bulb and dry bulb thermometer measurements.
Step 9. Make sure the incubator has adequate ventilation
There should be holes on the sides and top of the incubator for air to flow through and make sure the holes are half-open. You will need to increase the ventilation as the chicks begin to hatch.
Step 10. Light the eggs after 7-10 days
Egg irradiation is when you use a light to see how much space the embryo occupies in the egg. After 7-10 days, you can see the development of the embryo. This process allows you to remove eggs with dead embryos.
- Find a can or box that's enough to fit the light bulb in.
- Cut a hole in the can or box that is smaller than the diameter of the egg.
- Turn on the lights.
- Take one incubated egg and bring it close to the hole. If the egg looks empty, the embryo has not developed and the egg may be infertile. You should see a gloomy lump if the embryo is developing. The embryo will enlarge as it approaches the hatching date.
- Remove eggs that do not show embryonic development from the incubator.
Step 11. Prepare for hatching
Stop turning eggs 3 days before the estimated hatching date. Most eggs will hatch within 24 hours.
- Place a thin cloth under the eggs before hatching. This fabric will absorb the eggshell grains and other elements during and after hatching.
- Increase the humidity level in the incubator by adding water or placing a sponge.
- Close the incubator until the chicks have finished hatching.
Method 3 of 3: Using Hens
Step 1. Choose the right type of chicken
If you choose to use hens to incubate your eggs, you need to know how to choose the best chicks for hatching. Some types of chicken don't like to brood, so if you're waiting for your favorite chicken to brood, you may have to wait a very long time! The best types of chickens are Silky, Cochin, Orpington, and Old English Game chickens.
- Many other types of chickens can brood, but remember that even if your chicken does, it doesn't mean it will make a good parent. For example, some hens will brood, but not always in the coop, so few or no eggs hatch.
- Some chickens will be surprised when the eggs hatch, and the mother hen will attack the chicks or leave them. If you can find a hen that is good at incubating and being a mother, you've found a winner!
Step 2. Know when the hen is about to incubate
To find out, look for a solitary hen in the nest and stay there at night. You can also find patches of bald skin underneath. If he attacks you with a loud noise or bites you, this is a big sign that he wants to brood.
If you have any doubts about your hen, before laying fertile eggs under her, test the hen for a few days to see if she stays in the nest. You can put golf balls, artificial eggs, or real eggs that you want to sacrifice. You don't want to use chickens that will leave the nest in the middle of the incubation process
Step 3. Prepare the incubation area
Place the hens in a separate house or room that can be used for incubation and hatching of eggs and can be a place for chicks to grow. Place a comfortable nest on the floor of the hatching area, filling it with soft padding such as wood shavings or straw.
- Preferably the incubation area is in a quiet, dark, clean, windless place, away from other chickens, free from fleas and insects, and away from predators.
- Leave enough room for the hens to leave the nest to eat, drink and move around.
Step 4. Place the fertile egg under the hen
Once you are sure that the chicken will brood well and have prepared a brooding area, place the eggs underneath. Put all the eggs, so that the eggs can hatch at the same time.
- Lay the eggs at night, as you will not disturb the chickens and make them refuse and leave the nest and eggs.
- Don't worry about the position of the eggs. The hen will move it several times during incubation.
Step 5. Make sure you have food and water available at all times
Make sure the hen always has access to food and water, even if she only eats and drinks once a day. Place the water away from the chicken so it doesn't crash and spill over to wet the nest.
Step 6. Do not disturb the hen or the eggs as much as possible
The chicken will move the egg and the egg will remain moist and warm because it is exposed to the chicken's body. If you want to inspect and light the eggs to see how they are progressing, don't do it too often.
- However, you certainly don't want to produce rotten eggs that could affect your health and safety if cracked. Light all eggs at the same time between the 7th and 10th day of incubation. If you find rotten eggs or undeveloped embryos, throw them away.
- During the last week before hatching, leave the hen in the nest all day without disturbing her. This is a natural process.
Step 7. Have spare chicken
If the chicks have been incubating for two weeks and suddenly leave the nest, this is very frustrating, but don't despair. If you have other hens or an incubator, you can still save the eggs.
Step 8. Let the eggs hatch by themselves
When the chicks start to hatch, don't look or move the eggs from under the hen to see them. This egg is where it should be. Don't worry if not all the eggs hatch, the hens are very good at incubating the eggs while raising the chicks. The hens will usually remain in the nest for 36 hours or more waiting for all the eggs to hatch while looking after the chicks.
Tips
- Make sure the water bowl is high enough so the chicks don't sink and low enough for them to drink.
- Handle the eggs with care when turning them daily. Egg shells are very easy to break.
- Make sure you provide food and water for the newly hatched chicks.
- If the chicks won't eat until 2-3 days after hatching, don't worry; they have food from the yolk which they eat inside the egg.
