How to Incubate Chickens

Chicken eggs can be incubated by the mother hen, but most chicken owners prefer to incubate the eggs mechanically. Brooding hens will not lay more eggs until the ones they are incubating have hatched. Using an incubator allows the poultry keeper to keep an eye on the progress of the eggs without disturbing the chickens and frees up the hen to lay more eggs.

Things You'll Need

  • Incubator
  • Thermometer
  • Hygrometer
  • Water
  • Fertile eggs
  • Pencil
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Set up your incubator according to the manufacturer's instructions. Set the thermostat on your incubator to 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 2

      Add water to the incubator to keep the humidity at approximately 50 to 60 percent.

    • 3

      Place a thermometer and hygrometer inside the incubator to keep track of the temperature and humidity.

    • 4

      Obtain fertile eggs from a reliable source. Grocery store eggs cannot be incubated successfully, since most of them are not fertilized. If you are incubating your own eggs, you must have at least one rooster in your flock in order for the hens to lay fertile eggs.

    • 5

      Mark the side of the egg that was on top with an X using a pencil. If the eggs are freshly laid, you don't have to worry about which side was up. After a few hours, the embryo will settle to one side of the egg.

    • 6

      Turn the eggs at least three times a day to prevent the embryo from sticking to the shell. If the embryo sticks to the shell, it may not develop properly and will come out deformed. Stop turning the eggs on day 18.

    • 7

      Check the eggs for signs of development at 3 to 4 days using a small flashlight. Darken the room and curl your fingers around the end of the flashlight. Press your fist against the side of the egg so all the light shines through the egg.

    • 8

      Look through the egg with the light shining behind. If you see dark spots or lines, the egg is fertile. If the egg is clear, try checking again in a couple of days. If the egg has not developed dark areas by 7 days, it will not hatch. Infertile eggs should be removed and discarded.

    • 9

      Increase the humidity to 80 to 85 percent on day 18. This will prevent the chicks from getting dehydrated while they hatch.

    • 10

      Check for signs of hatching after 20 days. Chicks should be allowed to hatch on their own, and should be left in the incubator for 24 to 48 hours to prevent them from becoming chilled. They still have yolk in their stomachs and will not need to eat until up to three days after hatching.