Incubating Chicken Eggs
Before Incubation
The Eggs
- Before incubation chicken eggs can be stored for up to 7 days.
- When storing chicken eggs before incubating, make sure that they are kept at a constant temperature of 15-17 degrees Celsius or 60-63 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make sure the stored chicken eggs are turned daily before they are incubated.
The Incubator
- Before incubating the chicken eggs make sure that the incubator is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
- Place the incubator in a room with a constant temperature.
- The incubator should be placed on a flat surface.
- Make sure that the incubator is placed away from drafts.
- The incubator should not be placed in direct sunlight.
- Fill the water trough as directed by the incubator’s instructions.
- Always check that the incubator is in working order before adding the chicken eggs.
- Allow the incubator to warm up and adjust to the correct temperature before adding the chicken eggs.
Incubation Facts
- The incubation period for a chicken egg to hatch is 21 days.
- The correct temperature in the incubator is 37.5-37.6 degrees Celsius or 99.5-99.75 degrees Fahrenheit, decreasing to 36.7-37.2 degrees Celsius or 98-99 degrees Fahrenheit during the final two days of incubation.
- The correct humidity is 50-55% until day 18 and then rising to 65% until day 21.
- Humidity is generated by the addition of water in the water troughs at the bottom of the incubator.
- Ensure that the water troughs are filled with water at all times.
- The chicken eggs need to be turned daily and this can either be done by hand, or alternatively by an automatic egg turner.
- An automatic egg turner is placed in the incubator and will turn the eggs every 4 hours.
- The final day of chicken egg rotation is day 18 when the eggs no longer need to be turned.
- When egg turning stops, the automatic egg timer can be removed.
- A day or two before the scheduled hatching of the chicken eggs, add clean water to all the troughs to raise the humidity.
- Keep a daily record of incubator data.
Hatching
- When the chicken eggs start to pip allow 24 hours for the hatch to complete.
- Most chcken eggs will hatch within the incubation period, but sometimes weaker chicks may hatch a day or two later.
- Only remove the chicks when they are dry.
- Move the chicks to a brooder with water and chick crumbs as soon as possible.
- Discard any unhatched chicken eggs after four days of the main hatch.
- Remember to thoroughly clean and disinfect the incubator after each set of eggs have hatched.
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Chickens Chicks Humidity Incubation Incubator Poultry Temperature
very helpful.
My incubator is an ecostat incubator. The thing is i have never hatch any eggs yet i have put about 50 eggs in it. This is the second time this has happened. The eggs are fertile yet they do not hatch. I have cracked the eggs open and there are chicks fully developed. I opened the eggs a 5 days after the 3 weeks in incubation as there was no sigh of them hatching.
I don’t know what is wrong but it is really annoying me.
Anyone know what might be the matter ?
Comment by Conor — June 1, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
Why don’t you let the hen sit on the eggs? I’ve just had a batch of lil us today to our surprise!! Our hen has been broody for a while and very angry towards to rooster. We let nature take over and sure enough the hen knew what to do. Lovely waking up and hearing little cheeps!
Comment by Erin — June 4, 2008 @ 9:28 am
Hi Conor,
I am sorry that you are having problems with your incubator. I know exactly how you feel. I had 38 duck eggs in mine and now have only 7 ducklings. Infact if I had not intervened I would only have 1 duckling.
There are many reasons why the chicks do not hatch:
Improper storage of eggs whereby the eggs become too cold.
Eggs not turned correctly.
Temperature incorrect - too low or too high.
Humidity incorrect - too low throughout incubation.
Improper ventilation.
Infection or disease.
Poor diet or poorly conditioned breeding stock.
Click on this link for more information. http://www.farmingfriends.com/reasons-why-fully-formed-chicks-may-not-hatch-out/
If you do have a broody hen or know someone who has and is willing to let their hen sit on your eggs then this is the best way to hatch eggs.
Hope this information is useful. Thanks for commenting. I hope you get the incubation sorted.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — June 4, 2008 @ 4:12 pm
I want to hach some eggs, are automatic egg turners better. also if you do get an automatic egg turner, can you not be in the house for a few day, like go on holiday?
Comment by Bethan Williams — July 14, 2008 @ 1:04 pm
Hi Bethan,
An automatic egg turner is useful if you don’t have time to turn the eggs yourself everyday. Eggs need to be turned at least 4 times a day so this can be very time consuming. An automatic egg turner saves you this time.
The egg turner is powered by electricity so as long as there isn’t a powercut, you can leave the egg turner running while you are away on holiday.
I have the Automatic Electric Egg Turner by GQF Manufacturing. This holds 42 eggs from quail to duck eggs and moves the eggs from side to side at regular intervals throughout the day.
Hope this information is useful.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — July 15, 2008 @ 5:09 am
Eggs will be fine turned only 3 times a day (morning, when you get home from work or school, before you go to bed), and the odd number helps insure that the long time between bed and morning does not adversely effect the chick by alternating on which side the egg spends the night. That said, I was incubating eggs at school and the second weekend, I forgot to take them home, which meant 2 days of missed turnings! I had a 90% hatch and none were stuck to the shells.
Comment by BantyMom — July 24, 2008 @ 2:45 am