Step 4 - Prep Hatch

IT'S TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE HATCHING STAGE

No disk, two bottles, let's hatch

Preparing the incubator for the final stage - hatching

Just like the previous stage we need to first remove the water bottle from Port 1. Once removed the power cord can be unplugged from the dome, and the dome can be lifted off and set to the side. The disk will need to be removed so the chicks don't get caught in it while it rotates, but first we must remove the eggs. You can use the egg carton you received the eggs in or lay down a towel on the surface your incubator is on. Once the eggs are removed take the rotating disk off of the base and set it somewhere safe - it will no longer be used for the duration of the hatch.

Note: If you want to candle the eggs one last time before hatch to see the final stage of development, now is the time to do so. Be careful with the eggs - at this stage the embryo is now almost fully developed. Cup the egg gently in your hand, large round side down, and place a flashlight under the egg. Without a bright light and a dark room this can often appear just like an opaque mass within the egg. If the results are not great due to light pollution from windows then you can opt to only candle a few.

Place the eggs back into the incubator base in a similar fashion as if the rotating disk was still there. The center of the electronics in the dome can crush an egg if the eggs are too close to the center of the base - if they are arranged pointy-end in and in similar positions as the incubation stage there should be no difficulty closing the dome again. Once the eggs are in set the dome back onto the base and use the methods described in Stage 2 to ensure it is seated well into the base.

The humidity has to be higher for the hatching stage, which is why a second bottle is available. Fill both bottles and place the caps on them - find, again, which bottle sits properly in Port 1 (if you lost track) and nest it in. Place the second bottle into Port 2. Both bottles will drain some of the contents into the incubator base to provide humidity to the eggs. Plug the power cord back into the incubator dome and it will, by default, raise the temperature once again to 38°C.