When chicks first start to hatch you will see a small opening in the middle of the egg. It’s also possible for them to start hatching a day or 2 early if the incubator was a bit warmer then normal. So don’t give up if they haven’t started hatching on day 21. But if the eggs were kept a bit to cool before you started to incubate it can take a bit longer. Normally chicks start to hatch on the 21st day of incubation. Often they will layd down and rest a bit before moving around. When chicks first hatch they can be very tired. Keep maintaining the same temperature but raise the humidity to 70 percent. The chicks will need more fresh oxygen as they are hatching.
If your incubator has air plugs now is the time you can open those to let more air into the incubator. At this point in development, the chicks are positioning themselves inside the eggs for hatching. There are a few important things you can do to help give them the best chance. Days 18-21: Lockdown Getting Ready For Hatchingīy the 18th day, the chicks have developed and are getting ready to hatch out. Continue turning the eggs the same way each time. The next time you turn the eggs, place the O side up. Starting with one egg turn it a quarter of the way around so the X is facing to the side. Since you marked each side of the egg with an X and O it makes this step much easier. You can do this the easy way by using an automatic egg turner or turning them by hand. Turning the eggs helps to move the yoke away from the shell helping to protect the growing embryo.Įggs need to be turned 3 times a day.
This can cause the developing chick to be squeezed between the yolk and shell. But the yolk often tends to float upwards. Ideally, during its growth, the chick embryo should be on top of the yolk. Turning the eggs is an important part of the incubation period. When placing the eggs inside the incubator set them so the X marked side is facing up.įor the first 24 hours after placing the eggs inside your incubator leave them alone other than checking on the temperature. You’ll want to place at least 6 eggs inside to hatch especially if you are new to hatching chicks or if using eggs that have been shipped as they have a lower hatch rate. This will help you with turning the eggs later on. If you are not using an automatic egg turner in your incubator then take a minute and draw an X on one side of the eggshell and an O on the opposite side using a pencil. Once your incubator has been set up for a few days and is steadily keeping the right temperature levels you can add your eggs. Many colors of chicken eggs in the incubator.
#SMALL INCUBATOR FOR CHICKEN EGGS HOW TO#
It just makes things so much easier! How To Hatch Chicken Eggs Day 1: Setting The Eggs Then I can easily see at a glance what the temperature and humidity are at without having to open the lid. So I set it to outdoor and place the long wire end down inside the incubator. It can measure indoor or outdoor temperatures.
I use a thermometer/hydrometer combo that makes things so much easier. Once the incubator is fully dry place it in an area that is draft-free and where temperatures will stay constant.įill up the water reservoir in the incubator and add the thermometer and hydrometer and then turn it on.Īdjust the temperature settings until it stays between 99 and 102 F (37.2 and 38.3 C).ĭon’t let the temperature drop below 99 F (37.2 C) and don’t let temperatures over 102 F (38.3 c) last for more than a few hours or it could kill the chicks.Īdjust the amount of water in the incubator to keep the humidity between 50-55 percent during the first 17 days of incubation. This will make sure you are starting with a nice clean environment for the eggs. Wash it well with a 10% bleach solution, with a second washing of hot soapy water before rinsing well. This gives you time to make sure that the temperatures are staying stable. Set up your incubator a week before you plant to start incubating the eggs. How To Set Up Your Incubator For Chicken Eggs Do not ever store eggs for hatching in the refrigerator it’s just too cold. Keep them in a cool area that stays between 55 to 60 F (12.7 to 15.5 C). Caring For EggsĮggs for hatching can be stored up to 7 days before placing them into your incubator. Otherwise, you can order fertilized eggs from hatcheries or from local chicken farmers to get started. If you keep a flock of chickens already the easiest way is to collect your own eggs for hatching. Those come from large egg farms where hens are housed and have not been in contact with a rooster. To hatch the eggs must be fertile, this means they need to be collected from hens that have been housed with a rooster for breeding.Įggs you find sold in grocery stores are not fertilized. Before you start setting up your incubator you will want to make sure that you have access to eggs for hatching.
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