![]() Large eggs - such as those laid by Jersey Giants - can take as much as 2 days longer than normal, while smaller bantam eggs tend to hatch a day or two early. The eggs of most chicken breeds hatch after 21 days of incubation. While you’re learning what to look for, images of embryo developmentinside the shell can be extremely helpful. ![]() Eggs with colored shells are more difficult to candle than white-shelled eggs, and speckled eggs are most difficult of all. In a darkened room, hold an egg against a bright light, such as that provided by a hand held egg candler, you can see what’s going on inside the shell. Candling eggs once, after 10 days of incubation, is another common option. However, if not done quickly, candling can interfere with the incubator’s temperature and humidity regulation.Ī typical candling schedule is to candle after one week of incubation (when infertile eggs appear clear), after two weeks of incubation, and at the time turning is discontinued. The main reason to candle incubated chicken eggs is to make room in the incubator for more eggs. Whether you choose to candle the eggs or not is up to you. An incubator operated at 55% relative humidity, for example, should have the humidity increased to 65% during the last 3 days of incubation. In nature the first chicks to hatch under a hen contribute to the needed extra humidity, thus assisting the later, and typically weaker, chicks to get free of their shells. The requisite amount of humidity increases about 5% during the hatch. For example, an incubator that produces good hatches at a temperature of 99☏ and relative humidity of 55% will do a better job of hatching small eggs, or those with thin shells, at a temperature of 98☏ and relative humidity of 70%. Eggs with thin shells evaporate more rapidly than early-season eggs.Įggs that evaporate more quickly generally hatch better at a lower temperature and higher humidity than is normal. Similarly, late-summer eggs of any size have thinner shells because hens have been using up calcium reserves all summer. Small eggs laid by bantams and jungle fowl have a relatively large surface-to-volume ratio, so they evaporate more quickly than larger eggs. As the temperature goes up, relative humidity must go down to maintain the same hatching rate. Optimum incubation temperature and humidity are interrelated. Too high or too low humidity can prevent chicks from emerging from the shell during the hatch, or cause abnormalities in those that do manage to hatch. Conversely, moister air slows the rate of evaporation from the eggs. The drier the air inside the incubator, the faster moisture will evaporate through the eggs’ shells. Providing humidity during incubation prevents excess loss of natural moisture from within the eggs. It will gradually return to operating level as the eggs warm to proper temperature. Make sure it runs properly for at least 2 days.Įxpect the temperature to drop when you put the eggs in. Several weeks before you’re ready to start hatching, turn on the incubator to checked it out. Only after you gain experience using a specific incubator should you attempt to improve your hatching rate by tweaking the temperature setting slightly up or down. Most chicken egg incubators are factory preset at 99.5 to 100☏. Remove the egg rack or turner, lay the eggs on their sides, and don’t touch or move them until they have completely hatched, and the chicks have dried. Stop turning the eggs 3 days before they are scheduled to hatch. An automatic egg turner handily solves that problem. But opening the incubator to turn eggs by hand makes it difficult to regulate the incubator’s temperature and humidity. The eggs must be turned periodically throughout the day for the first 18 days of incubation. Maintaining egg position is easier in an incubator with an egg rack, compared to one in which the eggs simply lie loose. The pointed end of each egg should remain lower than the large round end, letting the developing embryo properly orient for the hatch. Hatching eggs purchased from a reputable source should not require any cleaning. Slightly soiled eggs, however, may be cleaned with fine sandpaper or a dry sanding sponge, or wiped off with a damp cool cloth and then dried with a paper towel. ![]() ![]() Any attempt to clean filthy eggs will only drive bacteria through the shell, reducing hatchability. But extremely soiled eggs carry harmful bacteria and should never be put into an incubator. Hatching eggs need not be completely spotless. These tips will help you get the best results when hatching chicken eggs in an incubator. But how carefully you operate your incubator is fully within your control. How successful you are at hatching chicken eggs in an incubator will depend on a number of factors, some of which are out of your control - such as the inherent degree of difficulty in hatching eggs from your chosen breed. Starting a backyard flock with a small incubator and some hatching eggs can be fun and educational. ![]()
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