🐥 When Do Chicks Start Peeping Inside the Egg?
Around day 19 of incubation, just before hatching, a chick starts transitioning from relying on the egg’s internal oxygen supply to breathing external air. This happens when the chick breaks into the air cell inside the egg, a process called internal pipping. Once it reaches this pocket of air, the chick can start making noise!
This peeping isn’t just random—it has a specific purpose that helps the entire clutch hatch successfully.
🗣️ Why Do Chicks Peep Before Hatching?
Chicks peep inside the egg for three main reasons:
1️⃣ Synchronizing Hatching with Siblings
- If a clutch of eggs was incubated together, the chicks begin vocalizing to each other to coordinate hatching.
- The stronger peeps from more developed chicks stimulate weaker ones to finish absorbing their yolk and get ready to hatch.
- This synchronization helps more chicks hatch around the same time, reducing the risk of stragglers being left behind.
2️⃣ Communicating with Their Mother
- If incubated by a broody hen, chicks will begin peeping to let her know they are alive and getting ready to hatch.
- A mother hen responds with soft clucks, reassuring the chicks and encouraging them to hatch when they are ready.
3️⃣ Signaling Distress or Readiness
- Chicks inside the egg can increase peeping if they are struggling or need a longer time to hatch.
- A weak or irregular peeping pattern may indicate the chick is having trouble, which can alert a broody hen or an attentive incubator caretaker.
🔬 How Can You Hear Chicks Peeping Inside the Egg?
If you’re incubating eggs, you may be able to hear the first faint peeps around day 19 or 20 by:
👂 Holding the egg close to your ear in a quiet room.
🎤 Listening carefully near the incubator—sometimes multiple chicks will peep together!
🐓 Observing a broody hen—if she suddenly starts softly clucking to her eggs, she may be responding to pre-hatch peeping.
⏳ What Happens Next? (From Peeping to Hatching!)
After internal pipping and peeping, the chick rests for several hours before beginning the next stage:
✔ Day 20-21: External Pipping – The chick breaks through the shell with its egg tooth, creating a small hole.
✔ More Peeping & Resting – The chick continues vocalizing, building strength before the final push.
✔ Zipping & Hatching! – Using its legs and neck, the chick rotates inside the shell to break it open completely.
🐣 Final Thoughts: A Fascinating First Conversation
The fact that chicks communicate before they even hatch is an incredible survival instinct that ensures better hatch rates, stronger chicks, and better bonding with their mother. So next time you’re incubating eggs or have a broody hen sitting on a clutch, take a quiet moment around day 19–20—you just might hear the first tiny voices of your future flock! 🐥🔊💛
