Hatching Guide

Beginner's Guide to Incubating Chicken Eggs Using an Incubator

Hatching eggs at home can be an exciting project! Using an incubator like a Brinsea or Rcom makes it easier and gives more reliable results. Below is a simple step-by-step guide to help you through the process.

Step 1: Preparing the Incubator

  1. Unbox & Set Up: Unbox your incubator (e.g., Brinsea or Rcom), clean it with warm, soapy water, and place it in a stable, draft-free spot. Ensure the room you set your incubator up in doesn't get too cold as this will cause the incubator to struggle to keep the temperature stable.  
  2. Power On: Turn on the incubator and let it run for 24 hours to ensure it's working correctly.

Step 2: Dry Hatching Method

We like to use the “Dry Hatching Method” when hatching our own eggs as we find generally the UK climate has enough moisture in the air that adding any extra can cause fatalities.
  1. Temperature: Set the incubator to 37.5°C.
  2. Humidity: For the dry hatching method, you don’t need to add extra humidity throughout the incubation period. The idea is to allow the egg’s moisture to evaporate naturally, making it easier for the chick to pip and hatch. Adding in extra moisture can cause a build up inside the egg that can lead to the chick drowning before it has had the chance to hatch. 
  3. Last 3 Days(Lockdown): Keep the temperature at 37.5°C for the final 3 days of incubation (hatching period). Do not increase the humidity. You want to keep the process dry to help the chicks hatch without difficulty. It is also extremely important that you do not open the incubator at all after you put the eggs in lockdown. We also do not recommend helping eggs hatch as this can affect other eggs trying to hatch by opening the incubator. 

Step 3: Setting the Eggs

  1. Choose Fertile Eggs: Only use eggs that are less than 7 days old, and make sure they’re free from cracks. You can view our own Hatching Eggs here!
  2. Place Eggs in Incubator: Lay the eggs pointy end down or Pointy end facing inwards, making sure they are spaced apart for air circulation.

Step 4: Turning the Eggs

  1. Automatic Turner: If your incubator has an automatic turner, it will rotate the eggs every 1-2 hours. If you have the option to choose the turning frequency we recommend every hour. 
  2. Manual Turning: If you're turning manually, rotate the eggs at least 3 times a day. Use a pencil to mark one side so you can track which side you've turned. It is recommended that if you are manually turning the eggs to always do it an odd number of times each day. 

Step 5: Monitoring the Incubation

  1. Check Temperature & Humidity: Regularly check that the temperature remains at 37.5°C and the humidity stays around 30-35%.
  2. Candling: On Day 7 and Day 14, candle the eggs using a bright light. If you see veins or a developing embryo, the eggs are on track.

Step 6: Lockdown (Day 18)

  1. Stop Turning Eggs: On Day 18, stop turning the eggs. This is the lockdown phase. Put down a non-slip material on the floor of the incubator such as a non-slip drawer liner. This is to ensure the chicks do not get splayed legs. 
  2. Humidity: For dry hatching, do not adjust the humidity.
  3. Do Not Open: Keep the incubator closed during lockdown to maintain stable temperature and humidity.

Step 7: Hatching the Eggs

  • Day 21: The chicks should start pipping (breaking the shell). Don’t interfere with the process. Let them hatch naturally. This can start as early as day 19 for smaller breeds such as Bantams, Poland, Silkies etc. 
  • After 48-72 hours, once the chicks are dry and strong, remove them from the incubator and place them in a brooder with heat, food, and water. They can survive in the incubator without food and water for up to 72 hours as they have just absorbed their yolk. 

Step 8: Clean the Incubator

  • After all the chicks have hatched and been removed, clean the incubator thoroughly with warm, soapy water and a non-toxic disinfectant for future use.

Alternate Method: Hatching Eggs with a Broody Hen

If you prefer the natural method, here’s how to hatch eggs using a broody hen.

  1. Choose a Broody Hen: Select a healthy hen that is showing broody behavior (sitting on eggs).
  2. Prepare a Nest: Provide a private, safe, quiet nesting area with food and water nearby.
  3. Place Fertilized Eggs: Place fertilised eggs under the hen. She will incubate them for about 21 days. We recommend an odd number of eggs as they fit under a hen better. 
  4. Monitor: Check on the hen occasionally to ensure she has enough food and water. She will take care of turning the eggs herself.
  5. Hatching: The hen will start hatching the eggs around Day 21. She will help the chicks once they hatch.

Conclusion

Using the dry hatching method makes the process simpler and often results in a higher hatch rate. With a Brinsea or Rcom incubator, it’s easier to control the temperature and turning than other brands and they also offer a warranty shoud anyting go wrong wiht the machines. Happy hatching!