Stages of incubation
The site is organized around the actual hatch journey. Use the stage that matches today, then open the tools, guides, troubleshooting pages, equipment checks, or state planning pages that fit that moment.
Before You Set Eggs
Use this stage before eggs go into the incubator. It covers egg selection, storage, shipped eggs, cleaning, equipment checks, room choice, and outage planning.
Prepare The HatchSet Day
Use this stage when the eggs are ready to set. Build the species calendar, record egg count, confirm turning, and save the batch if you want repeatable notes.
Start Hatch PlanDays 1-7: Early Development
Use this stage for the daily rhythm: turning, temperature, humidity, ventilation, room stability, and monitoring without overreacting.
Use Monitoring WorksheetDays 7-14: Candling and Air Cell Check
Use this stage when eggs start giving useful evidence. Candle briefly, mark questionable eggs, watch air-cell growth, and adjust only when the batch pattern supports it.
Check Candling NotesDays 15-17: Pre-Lockdown Check
Use this stage to confirm dates, review questionable eggs, prepare the brooder, and make the room and outage plan stable before lockdown.
Confirm Lockdown DateDays 18-21: Lockdown and Hatch
Use this stage when hatch is close. Reduce lid openings, understand pipping, avoid premature assistance, and keep hatch conditions stable.
Open Lockdown GuideFirst 24 Hours After Hatch
Use this stage when chicks are hatching or ready to move. Focus on drying, warmth, water, brooder safety, and avoiding unnecessary intervention.
Open First-Day GuideAfter The Hatch
Use this stage after the hatch window. Calculate rates, separate fertility from hatchability, clean equipment, and turn notes into the next plan.
Calculate Hatch Rate