Hatching Eggs in the Classroom:

Record Keeping

Keep a daily record of the incubator environment. A sample record sheet is shown on page 7. Record keeping can be used to teach measurement skills, time series perception, and data manipulation. Proper records also bring to your attention deviations that could damage the project.

Candling

Not all incubated eggs will hatch.

Most probably, only 80 to 90 percent of incubated eggs are fertile. Removing eggs that can be identified as infertile or dead will allay disappointment and remove possible sources of contamination from the incubator. Some of these eggs can be identified by candling.

Not all incubated eggs will hatch. Most probably, only 80 to 90 percent of incubated eggs are fertile. Removing eggs that can be identified as infertile or dead will allay disappointment and remove possible sources of contamination from the incubator. Some of these eggs can be identified by candling.

Shining a light through the egg to observe embryo development is called “candling.” White eggs are more easily candled than dark or speckled eggs. You can make a simple candling device using a slide projector. First, roll several thicknesses of typing paper into a cone, leaving a hole at the tip. The hole, which will allow light to pass through, should be about the size of a quarter. Tape the open end of the cone over the lens of the slide projector. Then darken the room and hold the egg to the tip of the cone. You will be able to see the contents of the egg. Careful examination of eggs for short periods of time (less than 10 minutes) does not harm the embryos’ development.

The presence of embryos can be confirmed easily after 8 to 12 days of incubation. The embryo appears as a dark spot that becomes more massive as incubation progresses.

Eventually, only a dark mass and the air cell is visible. Use a sterile, or un-incubated, egg for comparison. Dispose of infertile or non-growing eggs. If you are apprehensive about these decisions, contact someone with experience for advice.

Hatch Stage

The hatch stage refers to the final 2 to 3 days of incubation. Chicks hatch out of the shell during this stage. After day 18, do not turn the eggs at all. If you have an automatic turner, remove the turner and lay the eggs on cloth or rough paper (not newspaper) inside the incubator. This will give the chicks a good surface to walk on. Make sure the paper does not obstruct air flow or contact the water or the heating element.

The temperature should remain at 99.5o F, and humidity should be at least 86 to 90o F, wet bulb. The humidity can be increased by adding a wet sponge or wet paper towels to increase the evaporative surface in the incubator. On the twenty-first day of incubation, the chicks should start to pip out of the shell.

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Hatching Eggs

Record Keeping

Candling

Hatch Stage

Egg Incubators and Egg Incubator Resources

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A Teacher's Guide

Incubating Eggs

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