New to hatching eggs

[Makayla37]

This spring will be my first time hatching eggs, we will be using an incubator but I was wondering if there are any helpful tips or suggestions, thank you

 

[lazy gardener]

Before you plug it in, read all of "Hatching eggs 101" in the learning center. It will answer questions you didn't even think to ask. Then, Calibrate, calibrate, calibrate. Your thermometer is lying to you unless you have calibrated it. I like to calibrate to 100*F against a good medical grade thermometer in a cup of water.

 

[Rickba]

Hi,
You are in for a wonderful experience. Home hatching eggs is such a rewarding experience, almost spiritual, that you will never go back to buying live chicks again. The main think is temp, humidity and patients. The norm is 21 days for chicken eggs however, it may be shorter or longer due to many factors. Shorter's usually due to temp, longer is where most people run into the patients problem. *** It's 21 days from the day they "germinated" (for lack of a better word) not when they were layed or were put in the incubator. So, if they go over, don't get worried and start to open eggs. You will find almost ready to hatch chicks and feel really bad. Here's what I do,
1) DO NOT!!!!! Wash the eggs.
2) Set eggs at room temp pointy end down for at least 24hours.
3) Put them in the pre-warmed incubator, (on racks pointy end down) or on the screen gently on their side. Mark with a marker one side.
4) Keep and eye on the temp and humidity.
5) If you must candle them, (can't resist it) wait at least 8 days 'til you candle. HANDLE CAREFULLY. Don't shake 'em to see if you can hear anything inside.
6) Stop turning about 3 days prior to hatching.
7) Enjoy your chicks.
If you have any question, feel free to ask me.
Rick

 

[sylviethecochin]

Hatching eggs 101

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Before you do anything buy a copy of this book.

https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/A-Guide-to-Better-Hatching/incubation-books

You will be happy that you invested $5.95 in this book before you waste 100s of Dollars in cash, tears, and time.

 

[Makayla37]

Thank you all

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... The norm is 21 days for chicken eggs... It's 21 days from the day they "germinated" (for lack of a better word) not when they were layed or were put in the incubator...

Hatching baby chickens is a process. The process is complete when you have anywhere from a dozen to a few 100 thousands of fluffy and active baby chicks. The first day of incubation is not complete until 24 hours AFTER incubation began.

Another way to look at it is to consider human gestation. It takes 9 months (40 weeks) for a baby to fully develop. By the way most people count time if conception is on the 31 day of January then the child is due on the first day of September or after 9 months. Congratulations, you have just shortchanged the infant of almost 8 full weeks in the womb.