How to Hatch Chicks in the App
A hatching project tracks a batch of eggs from the incubator to a new flock, with hatch day, candling reminders and your hatch rate worked out for you.
Who it's for: anyone incubating chicken eggs, their own or bought in. Plan: every plan, with a limit on projects at once. Time: a few minutes to start; the project runs itself to hatch day.
What you need first
- How many eggs are going into the incubator.
- The batch they came from, if they are your own hens' eggs — otherwise you can leave this unset.
Step-by-step
Step 1: Start a hatch
On the Home screen, tap More, then Planning & records. Hatching is a breeding project too, so tap Breeding, then New Project. Chicken is already chosen for you.
Step 2: Set the eggs
Name the project. Choose the batch the eggs came from, or No specific batch if you bought them rather than collecting them from your own birds. Enter how many eggs went into the incubator — hatch day is set for you from there: 21 days for chickens.
Step 3: Follow the incubation
Turn on the task schedule for candling and lockdown reminders, then tap Save and exit. The project now counts down to hatch day, and your Upcoming Tasks list what's next: candle twice, stop turning at lockdown, then watch for pipping.
Step 4: Record the hatch
On hatch day, open the project's menu and tap Record Results. Enter how many hatched and how many are strong. Tap Create new Batch to turn the chicks into a new batch, counted as a group, then Save and Close Project. The project now shows your hatch rate, worked out for you, and the new batch is ready under Batches.
Common mistakes
- Starting the project after the eggs are already incubating. Hatch day counts from when you start the project, so set it up as soon as the eggs go in for an accurate countdown.
- Skipping the task schedule. Candling and lockdown are easy to miss without a reminder, especially with more than one incubator running.
- Expecting individual chick profiles. Chicks join the new batch as a group, the same way your other flocks are counted — not one profile per chick.
Frequently asked questions
How does the app set hatch day?
From the number of eggs you enter and the animal type: 21 days for chickens, counted from when you start the project.
What if I bought the eggs instead of using my own hens?
Choose No specific batch when you set up the project. The hatch is still tracked the same way; it is just not linked back to a mother batch of your own birds.
Do the chicks get their own profiles?
No. Chicks become a new batch, counted as a group like your other flocks, rather than named one by one the way kids or calves are.
Does the app work out my hatch rate?
Yes. After you record results, the project shows your hatch rate automatically, for example 86.67% hatched, worked out from eggs set against chicks hatched.
