The Basics of Hatching and Brooding Chicks 101

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Nothing is more exciting that incubating your own chicken eggs! Hatching and brooding chicks is a magical experience. Learn how to discover the magic of hatching chicks yourself with this guide to hatching and brooding chicks. We'll tell you all about incubators, hatching chicken eggs, setting up a brooder, and more!

To hatch your chicks, you'll first need to get a hold of a batch of fertilized chicken eggs. If you've got your own rooster and his "harem" of hens, you can obtain your fertile chicken eggs that way. If not, you'll have to order fertile chicken eggs from a hatchery like Murray McMurray, or from local hobbyists or farmers. People often post For-Sale ads for fertile eggs on our poultry message boards, so you might want to check that.

One you have your fertile chicken eggs, you'll want to incubate them as soon as possible. At the very latest, you can start incubating your fertile eggs at about 10 weeks after they're laid. If you're not planning on incubating your hatching eggs right away and need to store them, keep them at 50 degrees Fahrenheit with the large ends up. If you're storing your fertile eggs for longer than a couple days, you'll need to turn the eggs to keep the yolks from sticking to the egg shell.

Don't let that info about storing your fertile eggs scare you off. Many people enjoy hatching and brooding chicks, including beginners! Once you have the basics of hatching chicks down, you'll see that it is really quite simple! Read more about hatching chicks below the following advertisement...

You'll need an incubator to hatch your chicks. These can be purchased through mail-order, or even on the Internet. An incubator heats and humidifies the air to mimic the incubation process that a broody hen usually does. The best idea is to follow the instructions that came with your incubator. If you don't have your incubator's instructions, we've included some GENERAL incubator guidelines in this article. We would also suggest getting hands-on advice from our message boards before embarking on your hatching adventure.

There are many different models and types of egg incubators. The Mississippi State University says the following about egg incubators:

Fairly constant environmental conditions can be maintained in an incubator. Incubators are available in many different models and sizes with capacities ranging from two to thousands of eggs. The larger incubators are rooms in which environmental conditions are carefully controlled. There are two basic types of incubators, forced-air and still-air incubators. The size and type of incubator selected depends on your needs and future plans. Forced-air incubators have internal fans to circulate the air. Eggs are placed in stacks of trays. The capacity of these incubators is large. Most units have automatic equipment for turning the eggs and spray-mist nozzles for holding proper humidity levels. Still-air incubators are usually small but may hold 100 eggs or more. They do not have fans. Air exchange is made by escaping warm, stale air at the top and entering cool, fresh air near the bottom. Air circulation is limited, so only one layer of eggs can be incubated. Incubating temperatures in these machines must be about 2 to 3oF. above the temperatures in forced-air incubators. If you are incubating large numbers of eggs or setting eggs more than once weekly, use separate incubating and hatching units. The incubators should be large enough to hold a three-week supply of eggs. The hatcher unit can be small, but large enough to hold the largest setting of eggs. Eggs at various stages of incubation are held in the incubator. The eggs are transferred to the hatcher on the 18th day and held in the hatcher until completely hatched. Clean and disinfect the hatcher after each group of eggs hatches.
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There are two very important aspects of the incubation process that you need to be aware of when using your egg incubator for the very first time. An incubator regulates and provides heat and humidity. The temperature must be just right for the eggs to start to develop into the fluffy, cute chicks that you want. The moisture content of the air must also be just right. The University of Minnesota says the following about incubator heat and humidity for hatching eggs:

Temperature—Maintain the temperature in the 99-102° F. temperature range (100-101° F., if possible). Place the thermometer to measure the temperature at a level at or slightly above where the center of the egg will be. Overheating the embryo is much more damaging than is underheating it; overheating speeds up embryo development, lowers the percentage of hatchability, and causes abnormal embryos. Although a short cooling period may not be harmful, longer periods of low temperatures will reduce the rate of embryo development. Excessively low temperatures will kill the embryos. Avoid temperatures outside the 97-103° F. range. If the temperature remains beyond either extreme for several days, hatchability may be severely reduced.

Humidity—The moisture level in the incubator should be about 50 to 55 percent relative humidity, with an increase to about 65 percent for the last 3 days of incubation. Moisture is provided by a pan of water under the egg tray. The water surface should be at least half as large as the surface of the egg tray. Add warm water to the pan as necessary. If more humidity is needed, increase the size of the pan or add a wet sponge. Humidity adjustment can also be made by increasing or decreasing ventilation.
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Besides checking your incubator's humidity and temperature, you will also need to turn the eggs. As the eggs start to grow, they have the potential of sticking to the sides of the eggshells. In nature, the broody hen turns the eggs as she sits on them. If your incubator has the feature, it will turn the eggs for you. If your incubator does not have an egg-turning device, you'll have to turn the eggs yourself. Turn the eggs at least three times a day. The last three days of incubation don't require turning (and remember, a chicken egg takes 21 days to hatch).

As the end of the three-week incubation process draws close, you'll become excited for the eggs to hatch. Channel that excitement and energy into getting ready for your eggs to hatch into chicks. The University of Minnesota says the following about preparing for your eggs to hatch:

When the eggs are last turned, 3 days before hatch, place a layer of crinoline or cheesecloth on the screen under the eggs. It will make cleaning the incubator easier after hatching. Most chicks should hatch within a 24-hour period. Late-hatching chicks may lack vigor or be abnormal. After the chicks have dried and fluffed up completely, they can be removed from the incubator. When most of the chicks have hatched, you can lower the incubator temperature to about 95° F. if the chicks are to be kept in the incubator for 1 or 2 days. Plan ahead for what you will be doing with the chicks. (Students will be concerned about what you do with the chicks.) Clean the incubator after the hatch, so it will be ready for the next time. Sanitation is an important part of incubating. Remove and dispose of the crinoline or cheesecloth, together with the shells and other remains. Clean the inside of the incubator with soap and water, and let it dry completely before putting it away.
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Once your eggs hatch, CONGRATULATIONS! You are the new father or mother of a brood of chicks. Announce your proud parenthood on our message boards and wait for the calls of congratulation and clamoring for pictures come rolling in--seriously! Fellow hobbyists understand just how exciting it is to brood your first batch of chicks.

Feeding and Caring for Baby Chicks:

Just like human babies, baby chickens are rather fragile and delicate. You need to protect them from the cold and the house cat, as well as feeding them. If you've got a small batch of chicks, a cardboard box can serve as a fine and dandy brooder. You'll need to provide heat in the form of a heat lamp and keep it at 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You'll want to bring this temperature down by 5 degrees every week as the chicks get older.

Your newly-hatched chicks will not need to eat right after they hatch. All chicks are hatched with a bit of the egg yolk inside of them that nourishes them just as it did when they were in the egg. However, you'll need to provide food and water for your chicks soon enough. Fresh, clean waterers are important, as well as chick starter (high in protein, perfect for the little, growing chicks!).

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