Nest construction takes from one to seven days. This gives both birds a chance to feed and exercise. At night, it is thought the female does the bulk of the incubation, while the male stands guard nearby. The time of hatching coincides with the emergence of insects on which the young will feed. Timing of the hatch is particularly important for migratory cranes so the young can grow and gain the size and strength necessary to migrate before winter sets in.
Timing is less important with non-migratory cranes which live closer to the tropics.
Both parents feed the chicks, but the male usually feeds the chicks first. The newly-hatched chick may be offered small pieces of the egg shell or the female may consume the shell, perhaps to replenish the calcium used from her body to coat the eggs. Often the shell is simply carried away from the nest and discarded as not to attract predators. Both parents brood the young birds to protect them from both cold and precipitation. Brooding also helps warm the chick during the first few days after hatching when it cannot control its own body temperature.