Incubation & Hatching

Incubation is where genetics, breeder condition, egg handling, equipment, temperature, humidity, ventilation, turning, and timing all meet. Good fertility does not guarantee a perfect hatch, and a disappointing hatch does not automatically mean the eggs were infertile.

Know the Species

Chicken, quail, duck, turkey, guinea, and other poultry eggs have different incubation lengths and may require different handling. Always use species-appropriate instructions.

Stable Conditions Matter

An incubator should be allowed to stabilize before eggs are set. Temperature should be measured with a reliable instrument, humidity should be managed intentionally rather than guessed, and ventilation should not be blocked in an attempt to force humidity higher.

Shipping Adds Variables

Shipped hatching eggs experience handling, vibration, temperature changes, and other conditions outside the breeder's control. Even well-packed, fertile eggs may hatch differently after shipping than eggs set on the farm where they were laid.

Keep Hatch Records

Record set dates, temperatures, humidity, candling observations, hatch dates, number set, number developed, and number hatched. Over several hatches, those records can reveal patterns that a single hatch cannot.