Introduction Before You Begin: How to Set the Stage for a Successful Hatch There’s something quietly magical about watching life begin. Whether you’re raising a few chicks in your backyard, running a small hobby farm, or introducing your kids to the wonder of biology, hatching eggs brings a sense of connection—to nature, to patience, to life itself. But before the incubator hums to life and your eggs get nestled in, there’s a bit of quiet preparation that can go a long way. As someone who’s been through their fair share of hatches—some heartwarming, others… educational—I can tell you firsthand: the groundwork you lay now can make all the difference later. And if you’ve got little ones watching this unfold, all the better. You’re not just raising chicks—you’re raising curiosity, care, and a deep respect for life. Choosing the Right Eggs: Where It All Starts A great hatch doesn’t start with your incubator—it starts with your eggs. And not all eggs are up to the task. Skip the grocery store. Most store-bought eggs are unfertilized and have been refrigerated—no chance of life in those. Instead, source your eggs from a reputable local breeder with a healthy flock. I once tried hatching “farm-fresh eggs” from a roadside stand. Not a single chick. Lesson learned. Aim for eggs that are 1 to 7 days old before incubation. Store them between 50–59°F (10–15°C), slightly tilted, and rotate them gently once a day. Keep the pointed end down—that’s important. Pick with Care Look for eggs that are: Medium-sized and evenly shaped Free from cracks, bumps, or thin spots Clean, but not washed—more on that in a second 📝 Pro Tip: Handling Dirty Eggs If there’s a little dust or fluff on the shell, just wipe it off with a dry cloth. Don’t wash the egg. Water strips away the natural bloom, a protective layer that helps keep bacteria out. If your eggs are muddy or have dried droppings, use a poultry-safe disinfectant—but be gentle. Setting Up the Room: Quiet, Stable, and Safe The room you choose matters more than you think. A well-placed incubator has a better chance at steady temperatures and a successful hatch. Find a Calm, Consistent Spot Avoid windows, air vents, radiators, and anywhere with direct sunlight. Drafts and temperature swings are the enemy. Once, I placed an incubator near a door that got opened 20 times a day—big mistake. Try to maintain a room temp between 64–75°F (18–24°C). If the space is too hot or cold, your incubator will struggle to stay stable. Be Ready for a Power Blip Incubators need continuous power—especially during those first 10 days when embryos are fragile. Once you’ve set your incubator up and added your eggs, don’t move it. No shifting, tilting, or “just a quick check” after setup. Stability is key. Prepping Your Incubator Think of your incubator as your surrogate hen. It needs to be warm, reliable, and steady. Pick the Right Model for Your Needs Still-air incubators: Simple and affordable, but you’ll need to turn eggs manually and monitor temperatures closely. Forced-air incubators: Ideal for beginners—internal fans keep the temperature even, and many come with automatic egg turners. My first incubator was still-air, and I learned the hard way how unforgiving a single missed egg turning can be. If you’re new to this, go for a model with fewer variables to manage. Clean It Thoroughly Wash all removable parts with warm, soapy water. Use a poultry-safe disinfectant inside the chamber. Let every piece dry completely before reassembling—moisture and electronics do not get along. Test Everything Before You Begin Run your incubator empty for at least 12–24 hours. Use a reliable external thermometer and hygrometer to confirm the readings. Don’t just trust the built-in display—those can be off. Test your egg turner if you have one. Is it rotating smoothly? Are the water trays working? ⚠️ This step might feel boring—but skipping it can cost you the whole hatch. Your Incubation Foundation Is Set Before any peeping, chirping, or hatching begins, you’ve already done the most important work. You’ve chosen the right eggs, prepped your incubator, tested your setup, and created a quiet, stable environment—all before placing a single egg inside. This isn’t just preparation. It’s the foundation for everything that follows. Whether this is your first hatch or your fifth, this stage matters. And by taking the time to do it well, you’ve already given your hatch the best possible start. You’ve built more than just a setup—you’ve built intention, care, and readiness. This guide marks the first step in your incubation journey. What comes next is equally important—and just as rewarding. What’s Next: Incubation Begins With your foundation in place, it’s time to move into the heart of the process: incubation. In the next guide, we’ll look at how to manage temperature, humidity, ventilation, and egg turning—day by day. 👉 Keep reading: [Managing the Incubation Process]

Getting Started: The Critical First Step Before Incubation Your incubator is set up, the eggs are ready, and you’re probably tempted to get things going. But before you press that start button, it’s worth slowing down—just a little. The truth is, what you do before Day One can have a big impact on what happens on Day 21. Many hatch failures don’t come from problems during incubation—they start earlier, with small details that get overlooked. Things like warming eggs properly, placing them correctly, and double-checking your incubator’s settings might seem basic, but they play a huge role in giving those tiny embryos the stable, healthy environment they need to grow. Whether this is your first hatch or your fifth, taking the time to prepare carefully will increase your chances of strong, healthy chicks—and a more rewarding experience overall. Preparing Your Eggs: It’s Optional, But Worth It You might wonder if egg prep really matters. In my experience, spending a little time here can reduce bacteria risk and help embryos thrive. Warm Your Eggs Slowly If your eggs have been chilling in a fridge or cool room (say 50–59°F / 10–15°C), bring them up to room temperature (around 71–77°F / 22–25°C) by leaving them out for 4 to 12 hours. Why? Because putting cold eggs straight into a warm incubator causes condensation on the shell, which can lead to bacterial problems. It’s a small step that can save you headaches later. (Want to know how to pick and store eggs like a pro? Check out our Egg Selection and Storage Guide.) Cleaning Eggs: Handle With Care Only clean eggs if they’re visibly dirty. Otherwise, skip it. Washing can strip off the egg’s natural protective coating (called the “bloom”), which is there to keep bad stuff out. If you have to clean, gently wipe off dirt with a dry cloth or use a warm, gentle disinfectant designed for eggs, then let them air dry completely. Avoid cold water—it can suck bacteria inside the egg, which is the last thing you want. Mark Your Eggs: Keep Track the Easy Way A little pencil mark goes a long way. I usually write a number or my initials on each egg so I can keep track. If you’re turning eggs by hand, marking one side with an “X” and the other side with an “O” helps you remember which way they’ve been turned—because consistent turning is key. Choosing the Right Spot for Your Incubator Where you place your incubator is just as important as how you set it up. Temperature stability plays a major role in hatch success, and that starts with location. Choose a spot away from windows, direct sunlight, vents, heaters, or drafty hallways—basically anywhere the room temperature might swing. Aim for a consistent room temperature between 65–75°F (18–24°C). And once your eggs are inside, keep the incubator on a flat, stable surface and avoid moving it. Shifting the incubator can disturb the embryos and may lead to poor development. Pro tip: If you live in an area prone to power outages, consider having a backup power source like a battery unit or small generator. Even a brief loss of power during incubation can disrupt the entire process. Placing Your Eggs: Why Space and Stability Matter Once your incubator is in the right spot, it’s time to position your eggs. Be sure not to overcrowd them—each egg needs space for air to circulate freely. Good airflow helps maintain even temperature and humidity, which are essential for embryo growth. If you’re using an automatic egg turner, double-check that each egg is correctly placed in its slot. Misaligned or loosely placed eggs may not turn properly, which can lead to uneven development. Still looking for the right setup? Browse our Egg Incubator Collection to find a model that fits your goals and your budget. And always handle your eggs with care. A sudden knock or shake—even before incubation starts—can damage the embryo and affect your hatch rate. The Last Check Before Incubation Begins Before sealing the incubator and stepping away, double-check these critical points: Temperature & Humidity: For chicken eggs in a forced-air incubator, set the temperature at 99.5°F (37.5°C). For still-air incubators, it’s usually around 101.5°F (38.6°C) near the top of the eggs. Keep humidity between 50–55% relative humidity. Use a reliable, calibrated digital thermometer and hygrometer—don’t rely solely on the incubator’s built-in gauges. Turning Eggs: Automatic turners should turn eggs 4 to 8 times daily, spaced evenly. If you turn eggs by hand, aim for at least 3 times a day, spaced out to avoid long gaps (especially overnight). Pre-Hatch Checklist: Eggs are clean, warmed, and marked clearly Eggs are spaced to allow airflow Temperature and humidity are stable and accurate The turning mechanism works perfectly Incubator is placed in a safe, calm spot Lid is closed and avoid opening too often in the first days Wrapping Up: A Thoughtful Start Goes a Long Way Honestly, the difference between a good hatch and a great hatch often comes down to the care you take before Day 1. Gentle warming, careful marking, proper placement, and a stable environment all add up to stronger embryos and happier chicks. If you ever get stuck or have questions about your incubator, our after-sales support team is just a message away and ready to help you troubleshoot or give advice. 👉 Ready for the next step? Check out Part 3: Incubation Monitoring and Egg Candling to learn how to track your eggs’ development and spot any early signs of trouble.

Introduction Egg incubation is not just about setting the right temperature and waiting—it’s a process of precision, care, and daily attention. From monitoring temperature and humidity to turning eggs and candling for embryo development, every step matters. In this guide, we’ll walk you through daily checks, key candling stages, and how to prepare for successful hatching. Daily Monitoring and Record Keeping Stable environmental conditions are essential for embryo health. For chicken eggs, maintain a temperature between 37.5°C–37.8°C (99.5°F–100°F) in forced air incubators, or 38.6°C (101.5°F) measured at egg top level in still air incubators. Humidity should be managed in phases: - Days 1-17: 45-55% relative humidity - Days 18-21 (lockdown): 65-75% relative humidity It's recommended to check both temperature and humidity 2 to 4 times daily—in the morning, afternoon, evening, and before bedtime. Temperature fluctuations of more than 1°C (2°F) can significantly affect hatch rates. When refilling water, use warm water to avoid chilling the eggs. The water tray's surface area also affects humidity levels, so adjust it as incubation progresses. If you're using an automatic egg turner, check daily that it's functioning correctly. For manual turning, rotate the eggs gently 4 to 6 times a day, at an angle between 90° and 180°. Remember to stop all turning during the last 3 days of incubation (lockdown period). Proper ventilation is also critical. Keep the incubator's vent holes open as instructed in the user manual, and increase airflow slightly in the later stages to meet the embryo's growing oxygen needs. Place your incubator in a well-ventilated room, away from direct drafts or temperature fluctuations. 📋 To ensure consistency, maintain a daily log that includes temperature and humidity readings, turning activity, water refills, and any unusual events like power outages or device malfunctions. 👉 New to incubation? Start with our Pre-Incubation Preparation Guide. Candling: Checking Embryo Development Candling helps you assess whether your eggs are fertile and progressing properly. Using a bright light or egg candler, you can view the embryo's development through the shell in a dark room. Candling also allows you to identify infertile or dead eggs that should be removed to avoid contamination. 🛠What You Need:A strong flashlight or egg candler and a dark room setup. ⚠️Safety Note: Always handle eggs gently and candle quickly to avoid heat loss or shock. Keep candling sessions brief (30 seconds per egg maximum) and work in a warm room. Here are the three recommended candling stages for chicken eggs: Day 5–7 (First Candling):Fertile eggs show web-like blood vessels spreading from a central point and a visible dark eye spot. Infertile eggs remain clear. Dead embryos may show blood rings (thin red circles) or blood streaks without organized development. Day 10–13 (Second Candling, Optional):Most of the egg appears dark due to embryo growth. The air cell is clearly defined, and you may see slight movement inside. Blood vessels may be less visible due to the embryo's size filling more of the egg. Day 17 (Final Candling Before Lockdown):The egg looks almost entirely dark, with only the air cell visible at the blunt end. A sloped or wavy edge of the air cell usually signals active development and proper chick positioning. After this stage, stop turning and move the eggs to the hatching tray. ✏️ Use a pencil to mark and remove any infertile or dead eggs at each candling stage. Success rates:Expect 70-85% fertility in eggs from healthy breeding flocks. Remove any eggs showing no development, irregular blood patterns, or foul odors. Adjusting Humidity Before Hatching The final 3 days of incubation (lockdown) require a different environment. During this time, increasing humidity helps prevent the inner membrane from drying out and trapping the chick inside the shell. 💧 Target Humidity Range: Raise the relative humidity to 65–75%. To boost humidity, add moist, sterilized sponges or cloths to increase surface area inside the incubator. Ensure these materials do not touch the eggs. Always use warm water when refilling to avoid sudden temperature drops. 🚫 Avoid spraying water directly onto the eggs. Over-humidifying can cause oxygen reduction or mold growth, so keep ventilation balanced even in lockdown. 👉 Need more help with environmental settings? Visit our full Incubation Guide Series. 🐣 Conclusion: Consistency Leads to Success Embryos may develop silently, but they require precise conditions every day. By following consistent monitoring practices, candling at the right times, and adjusting humidity during the lockdown phase, you significantly increase the chances of a successful hatch. 🔍 Looking for an incubator with built-in controls? See our chicken egg incubator selection or browse the full poultry incubator collection including models for ducks, geese, turkeys, and quail. 👉 Ready for the big day? Continue reading Part 4: Hatch Day and Late-Stage Management to learn how to support your chicks as they emerge.