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HATCHING EGG CARE & INCUBATION GUIDE QUICK REFERENCE

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Upon Arrival:

  • Inspect eggs immediately for cracks or damage.

  • Allow eggs to rest point down for 12–24 hours before incubating to stabilize the air cell.

  • Do not wash eggs. If necessary, gently brush off debris with a dry cloth.
     

Information About Hatching Eggs

Hatching eggs are a live and fragile product. While we ship only fresh, fertile eggs from our carefully managed breeding program, fertility and hatch rates cannot be guaranteed. Shipping stress, temperature changes, incubator accuracy, humidity, and individual egg variability all play a role in hatch success.
 

Incubation Settings

Days 1–18:

  • 99.5°F

  • 55% humidity

  • Turn eggs 3–6 times a day (or use an automated egg turner)
     

Days 19–21 (Lockdown):

  • 99°F

  • 65% humidity

  • Stop turning eggs

  • Do NOT open incubator during hatching
     

Candling

The air cell should appear clearly defined at the large end of the egg. By day 7–10, it should be noticeably larger than at day 1, but not excessive. Growth should be gradual and proportional to incubation progress. If air cell size is not progressing as expected, humidity adjustments may be necessary. You can track air cell size by drawing a pencil circle marking the location of the cell.
 

How Humidity Affects the Air Cell

Too much humidity:

  • Moisture loss is too slow

  • Air cell remains too small

  • Chicks may struggle to internally pip or drown before hatch
     

Too little humidity:

  • Moisture loss is too fast

  • Air cell becomes too large

  • Chicks may become weak, sticky, or hatch early
     

Air Cell Development & Humidity
 

Inside every hatching egg is a small pocket of air located at the large end of the egg, called the air cell. As incubation progresses, moisture slowly evaporates through the shell. This natural moisture loss causes the air cell to grow in size, which is essential for a successful hatch.

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