How to Hatch Chicks from Eggs Using Incubator for Beginners?
Watching eggs hatching into fluffy chicks is amazing. There’s a reason that children sometimes incubate eggs as a class project in primary school. However, it can also be slow, frustrating, and fiddly, especially for beginners who don’t know what to expect.
Hatching Equipment
- Incubator
- Chicken eggs
- Hygrometer
- Marker
Hatching Process
Firstly, keep the eggs in the incubator. Throughout the incubation period the eggs should be kept at a still-air temperature of 101.5°F. If your egg incubator uses forced air keep the temperature at 99.5°F. If you turn the eggs manually, be sure to wash your hands before doing so. It is important to stop turning at day 18 so the chicks can position themselves for hatching. Most homemade incubators for hatching chicken eggs will require hand turning. You can draw an X on one side of each egg to help you keep track of which ones you’ve turned. Maintaining the proper humidity for hatching chicken eggs is critical. You should use a hygrometer to check it, as levels can vary widely based on the ambient humidity in your home. From day 1-18 keep humidity at 40-50%. At day 18 boost it to 70%. This is for your and the chicks benefit. When you see a pip in the shell, be prepared to give the chick up to 24 hours to come out. If you try to help by pulling the shell off the chick is very likely to bleed to death. So, be patient.
Once they start hatching, as agonizing as the wait can be, it’s important to let them come out at their own pace. The key to hatching egg successfully is to leave them alone as much as possible. Removing the shell too soon can tear blood vessels still attached to it, injuring or even killing your chick.
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