A Guide to Incubating and Hatching Eggs

Incubating and Hatching Eggs:
Eggs of exotic birds and common chickens require a standard measure of care in storage and incubation to ensure a successful hatch. Environmental conditions, handling, sanitation and record keeping can impact the success of incubating and hatching eggs.

 

Fertile Egg Quality:
From the smallest canary eggs to the largest ostrich eggs, high quality fertile eggs should always be considered rare and fragile. To successfully hatch eggs, begin with fresh, clean, fertile eggs.

Eggs can be produced "on site" or purchased from many sources. Commercial hatcheries will ensure good fertility, but often will not ship small quantities of eggs.

Eggs easily transmit contagious diseases between flocks. Therefore, to ensure protection from such diseases, purchase eggs from only National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) or equivalent surveyed facilities. Every egg producer should be NPIP tested; further information can be obtained from Texas A&M University NPIP at (979) 845-4186.

 

If eggs are purchased by mail order, it is important to ensure that the eggs receive proper care in transit. Extremes of temperature and poor handling can destroy prospects for a good hatch.

If fertile eggs are produced “on site” at the business location, the breeding stock must be maintained and supported for maximum health and fertility. Basic egg production is severely affected by day length and lighting control. Egg quality and embryo livability are affected by hen and sire age, health, nutrition, cock/hen ratio, breeder genetics, and other factors that can stress birds such as the weather. Keeping more than four females per male can reduce fertility in some settings.Inbreeding, the mating of closely related males and females, might decrease fertility of eggs and increase embryo mortality. Hatch-ability of eggs is severely harmed by inbreeding, age and poor health.

 

Most eggs are laid by mid-morning. Eggs should be collected several times a day to reduce the amount of time eggs remain in the nest. This practice decreases the number of cracked and soiled eggs and also prevents premature incubation. Embryos begin to prematurely develop at temperatures above 72 degrees F. Starting and stopping embryo development by repeatedly changing temperatures increases embryo death. Frequent collection and proper storage delays embryo development until egg incubation can begin.

 

Storing Fertile Eggs:
Fertile eggs are alive. Each egg contains a living cell mass that develops into an embryo, and finally into a chick. Each incidence of improper handling reduces the probability of a successful hatch. Fertile eggs usually are gathered over a period of time before an adequate number of eggs can accumulate for incubation, or until the incubator is available for a new set of eggs. These normal situations require that, before incubation, eggs must be stored properly to ensure hatchability.

 

Cleaning and culling:
Cracked, poorly shaped, soiled and unusually large or small eggs should not be incubated. These eggs rarely hatch and they increase the probability of introducing infection into the incubator.

Eggs should not be washed. Washing or wiping with a damp cloth removes a protective layer that coats the egg. Soiled eggs should be cleaned by gently buffing the soiled area with fine sandpaper. Washing eggs transfers disease infection agents from the surface to the inside of the eggs.

 

If an egg is washed, it should be washed briefly in 110-degree F water that contains a commercial egg sanitizer. Washing an egg in water that is cooler than the egg itself causes egg contents to contract. Contraction of egg contents draws water into the egg through pores in the shell. This water carries infecting microorganisms into the egg.

General care:
After clean and undamaged eggs have been selected for incubation, use great care to prevent damage or contamination of the eggshells. This includes using frequent hand washing as a barrier to microbial contamination.

 

Storage time:
Ideally, eggs should be set in the incubator as soon after gathering as possible to maintain egg quality. If eggs are to be stored before incubation, the best hatchability occurs when eggs are stored for less than 7 days from the time they were laid. However, some species are more sensitive to storage than other species. Hatchability decreases rapidly in eggs held in storage for more than 10 days. Storing eggs longer than 2 weeks also can extend the normal incubation time as much as 1 day.

 

Positioning and turning eggs during storage:
Eggs that will be stored for less than 10 days before incubation should be placed on egg flats or in egg cartons with the large end up. Eggs do not need to be turned from side to side during storage if they are incubated within the week the eggs are laid. If the eggs are not sealed in a plastic bag, cover them with a loose fitting material to prevent debris or dust from soiling the eggs.

 

Eggs stored for more than 10 days should be tilted from side to side over a 90-degree angle once or twice a day to assure optimal hatching success rates. To turn eggs during the holding period, place a 6-inch block under one end of the carton (or flat) holding the eggs to produce a 45-degree angle against the floor. The next day, remove the block and place it under the opposite end of the carton. Turning eggs prevents some hatchability loss that can occur during long-term storage.

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