Hatching Chicken Eggs - How to Hatch Chicken Eggs

Egg is a reproductive cell from which a new life takes birth. An organism develops from a fertilized egg, that is, when the male sperm cell fertilizes the ovum. A chicken hatches from an egg if it is incubated at 100.5 °F for 21 days. You can tell if an egg is fertile or not by candling. The fertile egg appears incandescent and the mass in the egg will be dark.

Different Parts of an Egg

There is more to an egg than just the shell, yok and white. An egg consists of:

• Blastoderm
• Yolk
• Albumen
• Inner shell membrane
• Outer shell membrane
• Air cell
• Shell

Hatching Chicken Eggs

If you want to learn how to hatch chicken eggs, then you have two options to see this marvel of life. The best way for hatching chicken eggs is using its natural incubator, that is, hen! You can place 8 to 10 eggs under the hen or in the nest. To make sure if she is going to 'set' the eggs, remove the hen from her nest a couple of times and see if she returns to the nest. Keep water and feed close to her nest. Wait for the eggs to hatch naturally. If you don't have a hen and don't wish to buy one either, then you can always opt for an incubator. Incubators are better if you are teaching children the natural growth phenomenon that occurs in an egg. When choosing chicken eggs for hatching, keep in mind that the eggs should be medium sized. They should not have any holes or cracks. It is better if you get fertilized eggs from a poultry farm. The next crucial point in chicken egg hatching is selecting an incubator.

There are two types of incubators, that can be used for hatching chicken eggs. A forced-air incubator is large in size and uses a fan as well. The other one is a still-air incubator that is smaller in size and does not have a fan. Once you decide on the incubator, check if the temperature and humidity in the machine remains consistent for the next 24 hours.

When hatching chicken eggs, place them into the incubator carefully. The temperature naturally falls down in the first few hours. Do not adjust the temperature for the next 48 hours after the eggs have been 'set'. The temperature should be set at 100 °F in a forced air incubator. If using a still-air incubator, set the temperature at around 102 °F. Initially set the humidity level at 58 to 60%. Gradually increase it to 65%, once the eggs begin to hatch.

After three days of incubation, start turning the eggs approximately half a turn, six times a day. Keep in mind, not to keep the small pointed end facing up. All the eggs hatch within 24 hours after 21 days of incubation. Do not pull the chickens out of the shells, once you see them hatching.

Once the chickens have hatched, provide them with chicken feed and water. These little wingless birds will chirp non-stop and follow you around. Chickens are a hit among children and are basically harmless and can be left unsupervised around toddlers. Hatching chicken eggs is an easy task and gives you the enjoyment of seeing life develop from a tiny egg.