Have you tried to hatch a chicken? What are the things that you need to do when the egg is in the incubator? 

Recently, a fertilized chicken egg has been put into my care. To hatch the chicken safely and carefully, I have done some research to take care of the egg. 

Firstly, how do you know if the egg is fertilized? The hen must have been placed near roosters if the egg is fertile. In my case, the hen comes from a farm where male and female chickens live together, so there is the possibility. The way to check is called candeling. By placing the egg (the narrower, smaller side up) on a flashlight, if an embryo is inside, there should be a dark shade that grows gradually throughout time. You might be able to see red veins at earlier stages of the hatching. 

For the first week, the egg can be kept in a cool room before putting into the incubator for artificial hatching. Avoid putting the egg into the refrigerator or exposing it to too much sunlight. You should prepare equipment to hatch the egg, including an incubator, the baby chicken’s food, space for the baby chicken to live and eat (food and water), and a thermometer.

After the first week, put the egg into the incubator, there are 3 things that you should do multiple times a day:

Moisture level 

Depending on the incubator, there should be a place/ gap where you should fill water to keep the moisture level up. On days 1-17 in the incubator, the moisture level should be 50-55 %. Day 18 onwards, raise the moisture level to 70%. You should refill the water every few days. 

Temperature  

The egg should be kept in between 37.5-38.5°C. Do not keep the egg over or below this temperature for more than an hour, which could hurt the embryo severely. However, the temperature could fluctuate when you add water, and water level often affects the temperature as well. You should constantly check the egg’s temperature using a thermometer. Adjust the temperature using the functions of the incubator or even just adding a towel to the incubator. 

Turning the egg

It is recommended to at least turn the angle of the egg 3 times a day. You could use a pencil to mark the original angle you started with to keep track of if you are doing it manually. It helps to remember to turn the egg if you measure the temperature at the same time. Some incubator also comes with the function of turning the egg automatically, then you don’t have to do the work!