Thank you for choosing to hatch our posted chicken eggs. This guide walks you through everything you need to know – from unpacking your parcel to welcoming your chicks into the world. It’s written in the same friendly, practical way I’d talk you through the process if you were sitting at my kitchen table in East Sussex.
1. Before Your Eggs Arrive
Posted eggs can hatch beautifully, but they do need a little extra care. Before your parcel turns up, make sure you have:
A clean, tested incubator that holds temperature steadily.
A working thermometer and hygrometer.
A candler (a small torch will do if you’re careful). You can find similar affordable tools on Amazon.
Somewhere warm and draught-free to set everything up.
Run your incubator for 24 hours beforehand to ensure it holds steady at 37.5°C with correct humidity.
2. Unpacking Your Posted Eggs
When your eggs arrive, resist the urge to pop them straight into the incubator. The journey can be bumpy, and the internal air cells may be unsettled.
Gently open the box and remove the eggs without turning them.
Place them pointy-end down in an egg tray.
Let them rest for 12–24 hours at room temperature.
This helps the air cells settle and gives you the best possible hatch rate.
3. Candling and Checking Air Cells
Before setting the eggs, candle them to look for cracks, detachment, or completely scrambled contents.
Hold the egg over your candler in a dark room.
A healthy posted egg often has a slightly wobbly or saddled air cell — this is normal.
Discard any cracked eggs as they rarely hatch and can cause issues in the incubator.
If you need a brighter light, I’ve linked my favourite candler below.
4. Setting Your Eggs in the Incubator
Once the eggs have rested, you can set them.
Temperature: 37.5°C for forced-air incubators, 38°C for still-air.
Humidity: Start at 40–45%. Posted eggs often do better on the lower side so they lose enough moisture.
Turning: If the air cells were very loose or detached, set the eggs upright in cartons for the first 3–5 days and do not turn. Otherwise, begin automatic turning straightaway.
Place the eggs gently into the incubator without shaking or rotating unnecessarily.
5. The First Week: Fertility and Early Development
Candle again at day 7.
You’re looking for:
A spider-like network of veins.
A dark embryo spot.
A clear air cell at the top.
Clear eggs after seven days are usually infertile or non-developing. Remove them to keep the incubator clean.
6. Days 10–18: Steady and Simple
These middle days are generally uneventful but crucial.
Keep temperature steady.
Adjust humidity only if your air cells look too big or too small compared with standard charts.
Candle briefly around day 14 to check progress.
Don’t over-candle — embryos need stability.
7. Lockdown (Days 18–21)
Lockdown is when everything gets exciting.
Stop turning the eggs.
Lay them flat on the incubator floor.
Raise humidity to 65–70%.
Don’t open the incubator unless absolutely necessary.
Chicks will pip (break the shell) then rest before zipping around the shell. This can take many hours — patience is key.
8. Hatching Day
Once a chick zips and pushes free, leave it in the incubator until dry and fluffy. Opening the lid too soon can shrink-wrap other chicks.
When they’re fully dry:
Move them to a warm brooder at 35°C.
Use a heat plate or lamp (I’ve linked my preferred heat plates below).
Provide chick crumb and fresh water.
9. Helping Chicks: Should You or Shouldn’t You?
Assisted hatching is a tricky subject. Generally, avoid helping unless you’re experienced, as early intervention often causes more harm.
Only consider helping if:
The chick has been pipped for more than 24 hours.
Membranes appear dry and shrink-wrapped.
The chick is clearly struggling and you know what you’re doing.
When in doubt, leave them — nature usually knows best.
10. Troubleshooting Lower Hatch Rates
Posted eggs naturally have lower hatch rates than locally collected ones, simply due to transport. Common reasons include:
Detached or damaged air cells.
Rough handling in transit.
Incorrect humidity.
Temperature fluctuations.
Even so, many customers achieve excellent hatches by following these tips.
11. Final Thoughts
Hatching posted eggs is one of my favourite parts of smallholding. It’s always a little unpredictable, but with a steady incubator and a bit of patience, you’ll soon have a brooder full of tiny peeping fluffballs.
If you need further help, I’m always sharing tips on the website and TikTok, and I’ve popped a few recommended items below for convenience.
Happy hatching from East Sussex Smallholders.
