What does it mean to "hatch" in the context of eggs?

To "hatch" in the context of eggs specifically refers to the process of the young animal breaking out of the egg after development. This typically occurs when the embryo inside has matured enough and is ready to emerge into the world. In the case of a chicken, for example, hatching involves the chick using its beak to break the eggshell, allowing it to exit. This term is closely associated with the culmination of the incubation period, during which conditions like temperature and humidity are maintained to support the embryo's development until it is ready to hatch.

The other options refer to different actions related to eggs but do not capture the specific meaning of "hatch." Laying eggs refers to the process of an animal producing eggs, while incubating involves maintaining conditions necessary for the eggs to develop, and cooking an egg is entirely unrelated to the biological process of hatching.