How to Hatch Eggs in a Hova-Bator Incubator

The Hova-Bator incubator is designed for hatching many types of eggs. When hatching chicks, keep in mind that it is a 21-day project. This is an opportunity to see the birth of chicks at home or at school. Each student in a class can claim their own egg to hatch and participate in the entire process. Fortunately, most of the work is done by the Hova-Bator, so you don't have to sit and watch like a mother hen.

Things You'll Need

  • Marker
  • Water
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Select a location for your incubator that is away from drafts or constant temperature changes. The incubators job is to keep a steady and constant temperate for the eggs inside. If the outside air changes a lot, the the incubator will have a hard time controlling the climate changes inside. Keep the incubator away from areas that get regular daily sunlight, as this will increase the temperature.

    • 2

      Set up the incubator. Place the plastic liner in the bottom of the incubator with the wire floor setting on top of it. Put the cover on top of the incubator and plug it in, setting the thermostat to 100 degrees. Fill the trough in the bottom of the incubator with water. This will need to be checked and filled often throughout the incubation period.

    • 3

      Mark each egg with an "X" on one side using a marker. Place the eggs into the Hova-Bator on their sides with the "X" facing up. Rotate the eggs three times daily, during days one through 18, using the "X" as a marker for which eggs have been turned. The last three days, 19 through 21, the incubator needs to stay closed.

    • 4

      Candle the eggs on the seventh, 14th and 18th days of incubation. This is a process of using a light source to look through the egg shell. Examine the contents of the egg for development. During each check, you should be able to notice a larger air cell and more solid formation. During the initial candling, you will notice pinkish color shining through on healthy eggs, and then dark, denser coloring except for the air cell in later stages. If the eggs do not look healthy, get rid of them.

    • 5

      Take the chicks out after the majority of them have hatched. During and around day 21, the chicks will start leaving their eggs. Do not remove them until at least 70 percent of the chicks have hatched. The heat and humidity is still important for the remainder of the eggs and removing the cover too soon will damage them.