How Do I Hatch Chicken Eggs? The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

So you’ve decided to hatch some chicken eggs? That’s awesome! I remember my first time incubating eggs – a mix of excitement, nervousness, and constantly checking the incubator like a helicopter parent Whether you’re doing this for your homestead, as a fun project with the kids, or just because baby chicks are adorable (they totally are!), I’ve got your back

In this guide I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about hatching chicken eggs – from choosing your eggs to that magical moment when fluffy little chicks emerge from their shells. Let’s dive in!

Choosing Between an Incubator or Broody Hen

Before you even get your eggs, you need to decide HOW you’re going to hatch them You’ve got two options

Using an Incubator

An incubator is basically an artificial mama hen – it keeps eggs at the right temperature and humidity for those 21 days until hatching. Here’s what you need to know:

• Pros: You control everything, can hatch larger quantities, and the chicks will imprint on YOU (meaning super friendly chickens)
• Cons: Requires electricity, daily monitoring, and can be expensive

Using a Broody Hen

A broody hen is a natural incubator with feathers! Some chicken breeds are more likely to go broody (sit on eggs) than others.

• Pros: She does ALL the work – maintains temperature, turns eggs, and teaches chicks everything they need to know
• Cons: You can’t make a hen go broody when you want, and they typically hatch fewer eggs (usually 6-12 depending on hen size)

Silkies, Cochins, Orpingtons, and Old English Games are known to be excellent broody breeds if you’re going the natural route.

Finding Fertile Eggs

You can’t just grab eggs from your grocery store – those aren’t fertilized! Here’s where to find viable hatching eggs:

1. Your own flock (if you have a rooster)
2. Local farms or neighbors with roosters
3. Hatcheries or breeders (look for NPIP certified when possible)
4. Online or Facebook chicken groups

If you’re buying eggs, try to get them locally instead of shipped. Shipped eggs get jostled during transit and often have lower hatch rates (about 50% compared to 80% for local eggs).

Setting Up Your Incubator

If you’re going the incubator route, here’s what you need to do:

1. Place your incubator in a location with stable temperature away from windows, drafts, and direct sunlight
2. Plug it in and test it for at least 24 hours before adding eggs
3. Check calibration with external thermometers and hydrometers (don’t just trust the built-in ones!)
4. Adjust settings to the optimal conditions:
   • Temperature: 99.5°F (forced-air incubator) or 102°F (still-air incubator)
   • Humidity: 40-50% for days 1-18

I can’t stress enough how important that external thermometer thing is. I’ve had hatches fail because I trusted the incubator display when it was actually running too hot!

Incubating Your Eggs

Alright, time to get those eggs cooking (well, not literally cooking, but you know what I mean):

1. Let eggs warm to room temperature before placing in the incubator
2. Position eggs on their sides with the large end slightly higher than the pointed end
3. Mark eggs with an X on one side and O on the other (if turning manually) or load them into the automatic turner
4. Close the lid and resist the urge to keep opening it!

Turning the Eggs

Eggs need to be turned multiple times daily to prevent the embryo from sticking to the shell:

• Automatic turner: Set it and forget it (what a blessing!)
• Manual turning: At least 3 times daily (5 is better) at regular intervals

Candling the Eggs

Candling means shining a light through the egg to see what’s happening inside. It’s both useful and super cool to watch:

1. Day 7-10: First check for development (look for veins and a dark spot)
2. Day 18: Final check before lockdown

Remove any clear eggs (no development) or eggs with blood rings (early death of embryo).

The Lockdown Phase (Days 18-21)

Around day 18, things get serious:

1. Stop turning the eggs (turn off automatic turner or stop manual turning)
2. Increase humidity to 65-70%
3. DO NOT open the incubator after this point until hatching is complete

Hatching Day!

The big day is finally here! Typically around day 21, you’ll start to see eggs “pipping” (when the chick makes the first hole in the shell). Here are the hatching day rules:

1. Don’t open the incubator! Seriously. I know it’s tempting.
2. Don’t assist hatching unless absolutely necessary (most chicks can do it themselves)
3. Be patient – hatching can take 24-48 hours for all eggs
4. Have your brooder ready for when chicks are fully dried and fluffy

Remember, not all eggs will hatch. For beginners, a 55-65% hatch rate is actually pretty good!

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Here are some common issues you might encounter:

• Chicks not hatching on day 21: Give them an extra day or two, especially if incubator ran slightly cool
• Chicks struggling to hatch: Most of the time, it’s best to let nature take its course. Helping can cause more harm than good.
• Humidity problems: If air cells look too large, increase humidity. If too small, decrease humidity.
• Power outage: Keep incubator closed to maintain heat as long as possible. Short outages (a few hours) may be okay.

Essential Hatching Supplies Checklist

Here’s everything you’ll need for a successful hatch:

• Incubator (or broody hen)
• External thermometer and hygrometer (don’t skip these!)
• Egg candler
• Automatic egg turner (optional but helpful)
• Brooder setup (ready before eggs hatch)
• Chick starter feed
• Water container (designed for chicks)
• Heat lamp or brooder plate

My Final Tips

After hatching several batches of chicks over the years, here are my top pieces of advice:

1. Don’t expect perfection on your first hatch – there’s a learning curve
2. Keep a journal to track what works and what doesn’t
3. Be patient – resist the urge to open the incubator during lockdown
4. Have your brooder 100% ready before the first egg pips
5. Consider hatching a few extra eggs since not all will hatch successfully

There’s nothing quite like the excitement of watching those first little beaks break through the shell! Hatching your own chickens is one of the most rewarding experiences in the homesteading world. Plus, once you’ve raised chicks from eggs, you’ll have an even deeper connection with your flock.

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Note: This article is based on my personal experience hatching chicken eggs and research from trusted sources. Results may vary depending on your specific circumstances, egg quality, and equipment.

To hatch a chicken egg at home, you will need fertilized eggs and an incubator set to 99.5°F (37.5°C) with 55-60% humidity for the first 18 days, turning the eggs daily. On day 19, increase humidity to 65-75% and stop turning the eggs (“lockdown”). Chicks typically hatch around day 21.

A hen must go broody and incubate the eggs for approximately 21 days before they hatch. The hen will continue to sit on her clutch of eggs, sometimes for several days after the first chick hatches, but development is a 21-day process from the time she begins incubating them, not from when the eggs were laid.