Method for incubating a poultry egg on a hatchery

Method for incubating a poultry egg on a hatchery, the hatchery comprising:

• an egg storage section configured for storing eggs;
• an incubating device separate from the egg storage section and configured for incubating eggs during an incubation period at an incubation temperature;
• and
• a control unit operatively connected to the egg storage section;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• receiving in the storage section a number of eggs at a time of arrival,
• storing a number of eggs in the egg storage section for a heating period in storage of at least 1 days, and
• transporting the number of eggs from the storage section into the incubating device,
• incubating the number of eggs in the incubating device during the incubation period until hatching occurs,
• wherein the control unit is configured for:
• determining a temperature course over time to which the number of eggs should be exposed based on a determined time of arrival and a desired moment of hatching, wherein the temperature course over time at least comprises a gradual temperature increase during the heating period in storage in the storage section from a measured initial temperature at the time of arrival to a set predetermined temperature between a physiological zero and the incubation temperature,
• controlling a temperature control system for heating the number of eggs during the heating period in storage from the initial temperature to the set temperature according to the determined temperature course over time.