5 Things to Know Before Hatching Your First Chicks
Hatching your own baby chicks can be such an exciting experience! Watching eggs develop and seeing tiny chicks hatch for the first time is something special. But before you plug in your incubator and get started, there are a few important things to know.
Whether you’re hatching eggs for your backyard flock or trying it for the first time with your family, these five tips can help you prepare for a successful hatch.
1. Invest in a Good Incubator
Your incubator plays a huge role in the hatching process. You don’t necessarily need the most expensive one, but you do need one that can maintain a consistent temperature and appropriate humidity.
An incubator with an automatic egg turner can make things much easier, especially for beginners. Eggs need to be turned regularly during most of incubation, and an automatic turner helps you do that without constantly handling the eggs.
Before adding your eggs, set up your incubator and make sure it’s holding a steady temperature. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for temperature, humidity, ventilation, and setup.
Helpful tip: Have your incubator ready and running before your eggs arrive so you have time to make sure everything is working properly.
2. Make Sure Your Eggs Are Fresh and Fertilized
Not every egg can hatch! Eggs must be fertilized, which means a rooster must have successfully mated with the hen that laid them.
Eggs from the grocery store generally aren’t suitable for hatching because they’re typically unfertilized and may have been refrigerated or stored for too long.
When buying hatching eggs, look for a reliable source and ask how old the eggs are and how they’ve been stored. Fresh, properly handled hatching eggs generally have better hatch rates than eggs that have been stored for a long time.
Choose eggs that are clean and intact. Avoid washing hatching eggs, as this can damage their natural protective coating.
Keep in mind that even with fresh, fertile eggs and a good incubator, not every egg will hatch. That’s a normal part of the process!
3. Resist the Urge to Keep Opening the Incubator
This one can be hard because it’s so exciting to watch your eggs develop! Candling allows you to shine a light through an egg to observe development inside.
However, opening the incubator too frequently can cause temperature and humidity fluctuations. This is especially important during the final days before hatching.
Try to candle your eggs at planned intervals instead of checking them constantly. Many people candle around days 7 and 14, and sometimes again around day 18 before lockdown.
What is lockdown?
Lockdown is the final stage of incubation, usually beginning around day 18 for chicken eggs. At this point, you stop turning the eggs and adjust humidity according to your incubator’s instructions. The chicks are getting into position to hatch.
Once lockdown begins, avoid opening the incubator unless absolutely necessary. When eggs start pipping (making their first little holes in the shells), keeping the incubator closed is particularly important.
Opening the lid can cause humidity to drop, which may dry out the membranes inside the eggs and make it more difficult for chicks that are still hatching to emerge.
4. Know What to Expect Around Day 21
Chicken eggs typically hatch around day 21, but that doesn’t mean every chick will hatch at the exact same time.
Some chicks may hatch a little early, while others take longer. Temperature, egg storage, and other incubation conditions can affect the timeline.
During incubation, the chick develops inside the egg until it’s ready to hatch. Before emerging, it usually makes a small hole in the shell, called pipping. From there, it can take many hours for the chick to work its way around the shell and finally come out.
Be patient! Don’t assume something is wrong just because a chick takes a while.
One of the biggest mistakes beginners can make is trying to help a chick out of its shell too soon. Hatching takes a lot of work, and the chick needs time to complete the process. Its blood vessels may still be active, and its yolk sac may not be fully absorbed.
Helping too early can cause bleeding, injury, or even death. If you’re concerned about a chick that’s struggling, seek advice from an experienced poultry keeper or veterinarian before intervening.
5. Be Prepared for Hatch Day
Before your eggs start hatching, make sure you have a plan for caring for your chicks once they’re ready to leave the incubator. You’ll need a warm, secure brooder and access to food and water.
Newly hatched chicks can generally stay in the incubator until they’re dry and fluffy, often up to about 24 hours. Avoid opening the incubator unnecessarily while other chicks are still hatching, since humidity drops can make it harder for them to hatch.
Not sure what supplies you’ll need? Check out our guide to What Do You Need for Baby Chicks? A Beginner’s Checklist for everything you’ll want to have ready before hatch day.
Bonus Tips for a Better Hatch
Hatching Doesn’t Always Go Perfectly
Even when you do everything right, some eggs may not hatch. There are many reasons for this, including fertility issues, embryo development problems, and incubation conditions.
Don’t automatically blame yourself if every egg doesn’t hatch. Learn from each experience, review your incubation records, and make adjustments when needed.
Be Prepared for the Commitment
Baby chicks are adorable, but they grow quickly! Before hatching, make sure you have enough space, the proper setup, and a plan for caring for your birds as they grow.
Think about how many hens your property can accommodate, local poultry rules, predator protection, and what you’ll do with any roosters that hatch.
Hatching is just the beginning. Raising healthy chickens takes ongoing time and care.
Ready to Hatch Your First Chicks?
Hatching eggs can be a fun and rewarding experience when you’re prepared. Start with good eggs, use a reliable incubator, maintain the right conditions, and give your chicks the time they need to hatch naturally.
Most importantly, be patient! Sometimes the best thing you can do is leave the incubator closed and let nature take its course.
At Hutch Farms, we love raising chickens and sharing a little bit of farm life with our community. If hatching your own eggs isn’t the right fit for you yet, keep an eye out for our available chicks!
Happy hatching! 🐣🤎
— Hutch Farms
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hutch Farms! 🤎
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