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When will my eggs hatch?

Enter the day you set the eggs, in an incubator or under a broody hen. You'll get the hatch date, when to candle, when to go into lockdown, and a calendar file with every date. Planning ahead? Work backwards from the day you want chicks.

Every milestone date, not just the due datePlan backwards from the date you wantAdd the dates to your calendar

Bird

Date you set the eggs

Dates stay on your device. Nothing is sent or saved.

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Expected hatch date

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Earliest likely–

Latest likely–

Your timeline

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Log the hatch in Flockwell and it reminds you on lockdown day and hatch day, right on your phone.

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Incubation times at a glance

Counting the day you set the eggs as day 0. Breeds and incubator temperature can shift the hatch by a day or two.

Bird	Hatches after	Candle on	Lockdown
Chicken	21 days	Days 7 and 14	Day 18
Duck	28 days	Days 7 and 19	Day 25
Muscovy duck	35 days	Days 7 and 23	Day 32
Goose	30 days	Days 7 and 20	Day 27
Turkey	28 days	Days 7 and 19	Day 25
Coturnix quail	17 days	Days 5 and 11	Day 14
Guinea fowl	27 days	Days 7 and 18	Day 24
Pheasant	24 days	Days 7 and 16	Day 21

Temperature

Forced-air (fan) incubator: about 37.5 °C / 99.5 °F
Still-air incubator: about 38.5 °C / 101.5 °F, measured at the top of the eggs
Too warm hatches early and weak; too cool hatches late

Humidity and turning

Around 45 to 55% for most of the incubation
Raise to around 65 to 75% at lockdown
Turn at least 3 times a day, an odd number of times, until lockdown

Before you set

Set eggs within about 7 days of laying for the best hatch
Store them pointy end down, somewhere cool
Let cold eggs warm to room temperature first

Every incubator is a little different. Follow your incubator's manual where it differs from these general figures.

Candling: what you're looking for

First candling

A growing egg shows a dark spot (the embryo) with veins spreading out like a spider. A completely clear egg is infertile. A red ring inside the shell means the embryo died early. Remove both.

Second candling

The egg should look mostly dark, with a clear air cell at the wide end and movement if you're lucky. Remove any egg that hasn't changed since the first check or smells bad.

Lockdown

The air cell is bigger and may tilt as the chick moves into position to pip. From now on, don't turn or open: the humidity drop when you open the lid can make chicks stick to their shells.

Questions

How long do chicken eggs take to hatch?

About 21 days from the day you set them, in an incubator or under a broody hen. Most hatch on day 20, 21 or 22.

Can eggs hatch late?

Yes. An incubator running a little cool, or eggs that were stored for a while before setting, can hatch a day or two late. Candle any unhatched eggs before giving up.

When do I stop turning the eggs?

At lockdown, about 3 days before the hatch date: day 18 for chickens, day 25 for ducks and turkeys. Stop turning, raise the humidity and keep the lid closed.

Should I help a chick out of its shell?

Usually no. Hatching takes time, and pulling a chick out early can make it bleed. If a chick has pipped and made no progress for about a day, some keepers help very carefully. If in doubt, ask an experienced keeper.

Does this work for a broody hen?

Yes. Use the day she started sitting on the eggs full time as the set date. She'll handle the turning and humidity herself.

More free tools

These calculators give typical dates for planning. Individual animals vary, so watch for signs and ask a vet if anything seems wrong.