Why didn’t my Eggs Hatch?

Let’s count the ways….

We have to go back to the beginning of the egg’s life and that is part of the hen’s life. Was she bred correctly? vigorous? fed well? These are super important because a hen’s health and nutrition will play right into an egg yolk’s health.

Were the eggs your own? Were they shipped? Packing, handling, temperatures, etc all play a role in viability. Ideally an egg is kept at a constant cool temperature until ready to incubate. Fluctuations like heat or cold during transit can harm the embryo. Rough handling and dropping boxes will also impact the egg’s chances of growing.

The incubator is the next variable. I am a firm believer that eggs should be incubated pointy side down and gently titled side to side. If you are incubator shopping, specially look for this type versus the roll it around in a circle type. The unevenness of the floor and the act of rolling won’t be as gentle as we need but tilting side to side is hard to mess up. Keep the incubator at a constant 37.8C or 99.5F. Humidity is different for each environment and season. In the winter, you will fight to keep it up but it is super important so the egg does not lose moisture too rapidly. In the summer, you may find that adding zero water is ok because it is so humid where you are. Aim for 40%-45% but realize that consistency is super important, so if you fall at 38% and can be consistant, go for it! What we do not want is big swings. One thing that will cause a large swing is opening the incubator. You do not have to candle or pull duds (unless they stink) or otherwise handle the eggs. The more handling, moving and opening of the incubator, the more issue you will have hatching. Each time the incubator is opened, the air changes and the temperature and humidity changes instantly, I highly recommend to not open it until the day to take the turner out.

Shipped eggs are slightly different with the air cell, it can become detached and this can make it harder for chicks to develop. I highly recommend that you incubate shipped eggs upright and gently rock them or tilt them. IF you have detached air cells, I also recommend hatching upright. This keeps the air cell where it should be and I have good success with this. This is also a good tip if you struggled with high humidity during incubation, the upright position keeps moisture collection in the bottom away from the chick’s head.

Contrary to what social media and Amazon will have you believe, hatching eggs takes practice. No other place will have exactly the same conditions as yours. I recommend taking notes on your process and the outcome and that way when you find what works, you can repeat it. The best information you can obtain for being better at it is to understand what is going on inside the egg and what it needs to have the best chance.

More information can be had about incubating here and the Poultry Nerds Podcast