How to hatch eggs in Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go can puzzle even the most dedicated Pokémon fan, thanks to tweaks on gym battling, Pokémon catching and choosing a starter Pokémon. There's one feature that more closely resembles its handheld game inspiration, however, and that's hatching eggs.

Collecting, attending to and hatching eggs comprise some of the more fun aspects of Pokémon Go and represent one of the best real world translations of the classic role-playing games to the augmented reality app. But as is the norm for Pokémon Go, not all of it is well explained.

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Your biggest Pokémon Go questions, answered

Here are the basics on everything eggs in Pokémon Go.

What are Pokémon eggs?

Here's a little Pokémon biology lesson for you: All baby Pokémon hatch from eggs laid by their mothers. Although two Pokémon of different species can mate, the baby will always be the same kind of Pokémon as its mother.

In Pokémon Go, however, Pokémon can't breed. There are no facilities to support that (yet?), as there are in the handheld titles. Instead, the type of Pokémon tucked inside of an egg you've found is a matter of chance. In a sense, eggs are Pokémon Go's random loot boxes, waiting to be unpacked and their contents discovered.

How do I find a Pokémon egg?

Since you can't breed for them, you'll have to collect Pokémon eggs in the wild. There are various places to get these, the most common being at PokéStops. (Check out our guide on how to find Pokéstops and gyms for more.) Eggs are among the items randomly distributed at these locations, so make sure to stop by and swipe on the Pokéstop to reap your rewards.

How do I hatch a Pokémon egg?

If only it were as easy as sitting on it! Alas, Pokémon Go is all about walking, not turning humans into sitting hens. For Pokémon fans, this is nothing new. The handheld games require players to walk around for an indeterminate period of time to get their eggs to hatch.

The same is true in Pokémon Go, albeit with the helpful addition of just how much distance a trainer must cover to get their egg to hatch. Eggs will hatch after their owners walk anywhere from two to 10 kilometers; the specific requirement is listed underneath the egg.

Remember: The app must be open at all-times while trying to hatch your eggs. Pokémon Go does not play in the background without you.

Players have discovered other tricks to get around the walking requirement for egg hatching, however. Watch the video below for one Pokémon Go fan's record player trick.

Where can I find my own Pokémon eggs?

The Pokémon eggs in your possession are listed in the Pokémon menu. The screen will take you to the Pokémon you've caught by default, but swipe to the right to access the eggs menu. You can carry nine eggs at once.

Do I need an item to hatch my Pokémon eggs?

You do! It's not just as simple as walking around with them. You need to incubate them using an Egg Incubator. Thankfully, one of these when you start, and you can use it an infinite number of times. However, each Egg Incubator can house just one egg at a time.

That means, for those who want to hatch all of the eggs all at once, you'll have to invest in additional Egg Incubators. You can find them at PokéStops or when you level up, but Pokémon Go also sells them to players in exchange for PokéCoins as well. Egg Incubators cost 150 PokéCoins, which translates to about $1.25 in real-world money. You can purchase both in the in-game shop.

To put an egg inside an Egg Incubator, select the egg you'd like to hatch from the egg menu, then choose an Egg Incubator to pop it inside of.

Can I drive around to get my eggs to hatch faster?

Nope. The game won't pick up movement faster than 20 miles per hour, so don't bother. You're going to have to get your steps in to hatch your Pokémon. Unless you have a record player.

What kind of Pokémon hatch from eggs?

It's hard to say exactly, but some sites have started making eggs lists, listing what players have hatched. These include the typical, like Rattata and Pidgey, to the more exotic, like Dratini and Lapras. Let us know what you've hatched in the comments.

What else do I get when my eggs hatch?

Considerable amounts of experience. Think of that as your reward for taking a few extra steps in the pursuit of completing that Pokédex.

What do I do while I wait for my Pokémon eggs to hatch?

There's a lot of other stuff to do in Pokémon Go in the meantime. Go defend your team's honor in a gym battle! Visit some PokéStops! Catch some more Pokémon! Check out our FAQ for the full lineup of activities in the iOS and Android game.

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