Contact Information:
Phillip J. Clauer
Senior Extension Associate
4-H Youth and Specialty Poultry
Department of Poultry Science
The Pennsylvania State University
Science of Incubation
Incubation means maintaining conditions favorable for developing and hatching fertile eggs. Still-air incubators do not provide mechanical circulation of air. Forced-air incubators are equipped with electric fans. Optimum operating temperatures differ slightly.
Four factors are of major importance in incubating eggs artificially: temperature, humidity, ventilation and turning. Of these factors, temperature is the most critical. However, humidity tends to be overlooked and causes many of the hatching problems encountered by teachers. Extensive research has shown that the optimum incubator temperature is 100°F when relative humidity is 60 percent, concentrations of oxygen 21 percent, carbon dioxide 0.5 percent, and air movement past the egg is at 12 cubic feet per minute.
