Chicken Egg Hatching Cycle

Check-out this breakdown of the twenty-one-day cycle of a growing chick covering development post-fertilization to hatching.

By Melissa Caughey
Updated on June 16, 2022
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Unsplash/Michael Anfang

How long does it take for a chicken egg to hatch naturally? Check out this breakdown of the 21-day cycle of a growing chick, covering development post-fertilization to hatching.

Inner Workings of the Egg

From the time the egg is fertilized, the chick develops rapidly. It takes just 21 days for a chick to grow inside the egg and hatch. The eggshell is made of almost pure calcium carbonate, with more than 17,000 tiny pores to allow air and moisture to pass through. All eggs are coated in a bloom (or cuticle) that helps prevent bacteria and viruses from getting inside the egg. Here is a peek inside this incredible process.

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