Hatch rate calculator
Enter your egg counts to get fertility, hatch of set, and hatch of fertile — then see whether your result is normal for shipped or local eggs.
Reading your numbers
The single most useful figure is hatch of fertile — hatched divided by the number of eggs that were actually fertile. It separates how your incubator performed from whether the eggs were fertile in the first place. A strong, well-run hatch of local eggs commonly lands in the 75–90%+ range of fertile eggs.
Shipped eggs are a different game. The single most common question new hatchers ask is “I only got 50% — did I do something wrong?” Usually not: shipping jostles and detaches air cells, and a hatch of around half the eggs set is widely considered a normal outcome for shipped eggs. Set extras and judge a shipped hatch gently.
If a local hatch comes in low, candle or break out the eggs that didn't hatch. A pile of clears means a fertility problem in the breeding pen (rooster ratio, age, nutrition, season); fertile eggs that died in the shell means an incubation problem to chase down in temperature, humidity, or turning.
Sources
- A Systematic Approach to Solving Hatchability and Chick Quality Problems — University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS VM101) (University extension)
- Trouble Shooting Failures with Egg Incubation — Mississippi State University Extension (University extension)
Frequently asked questions
- What's a good hatch rate?
- Measured as hatch of fertile eggs, a well-run incubation of local eggs commonly runs 75–90%+. Shipped eggs are different — see below.
- Is 50% a bad hatch rate?
- Not for shipped eggs. Around 50% of eggs set (often 25–50%) is widely considered normal for shipped hatching eggs, because jostled and detached air cells in transit cap hatchability no matter how good your incubator is. For local eggs, 50% is low and points to a fertility or incubation issue.
- What's the difference between hatch of set and hatch of fertile?
- Hatch of set is hatched ÷ eggs set — it includes infertile eggs, so it under-rates your incubator if fertility was low. Hatch of fertile is hatched ÷ fertile eggs, which isolates how well the incubation itself went.
- How do I tell a fertility problem from an incubation problem?
- Candle or break out the eggs that didn't hatch. Lots of clears (no development) points to a fertility problem in the breeding pen; fertile eggs that died in the shell points to an incubation problem (temperature, humidity, turning).