Egg Incubation Calculator & When Will They Hatch?
Hatches chicken eggs
Pick the bird and the date you set the eggs to get the hatch date, the candling datesand the lockdown (stop-turning) date — laid out on a clear incubation timeline.
Chicken incubation: 21 days. Lockdown 3 days before hatch.
Chicken eggs set on 20 Jun 2026 should hatch around 11 Jul 2026 (between 10 Jul 2026 and 12 Jul 2026). Candle on 27 Jun 2026 and 4 Jul 2026 to remove clear/dead eggs.
Next: turn eggs 3–5× daily until lockdown on 8 Jul 2026, then stop turning, raise humidity and don't open the incubator until hatch. Hold ~37.5 °C (99.5 °F) for forced-air throughout.
Incubation lengths are species averages; exact timing varies with temperature and egg storage.
Egg incubation — key facts
- Chicken
- 21 days
- Quail / pigeon
- 18 days
- Duck / turkey / guinea
- 28 days
- Goose
- 30 days · Muscovy 35
- Candle
- ≈ day 7 and day 14
- Lockdown (chicken)
- day 18 (stop turning)
- Temperature
- ≈ 37.5 °C (99.5 °F)
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
Hit every incubation milestone on time
A successful hatch is as much about timing as temperature. Set the date, pick the species, and this tool maps the whole cycle: the hatch date (with a ±1-day window), the candling days when you check development and pull clear or dead eggs, and the lockdown date when you stop turning, raise the humidity and leave the incubator shut. The timeline shows the turning phase and the lockdown phase at a glance, so you never miss the moment that matters.
The two phases each have a job. From setting to lockdown you turn the eggs at least 3–5 times a day so the embryo doesn't stick to the shell membrane. At lockdown you stop turning and bump humidity up so the chicks can pip and zip without the membrane shrink-wrapping them. Hold around 37.5 °C throughout, candle on schedule to keep the incubator clean, and stagger setting if you're mixing species so they reach lockdown together.
Know the hatch day
Get the exact hatch date and window from your set date and species.
Candle on time
See the candling days to remove clear or dead eggs and keep the incubator clean.
Nail lockdown
Know the day to stop turning and raise humidity for a strong hatch.
Plan many species
Switch between chicken, duck, goose, quail and more, each with the right cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will my eggs hatch?+
Add the species' incubation length to the date you set the eggs. Chicken eggs take 21 days, so eggs set on 1 June hatch around 22 June. This tool gives the hatch date (with a ±1-day window) and the key milestone dates for chicken, duck, goose, turkey, quail and more.
How long do different eggs take to incubate?+
Typical incubation: chicken 21 days, quail 18, pigeon 18, pheasant 24, duck 28, turkey 28, guinea fowl 28, goose 30, Muscovy duck 35, ostrich 42. Pick the bird and the tool uses the right length and milestones.
What is candling and when do I do it?+
Candling shines a light through the egg to check development — you remove clear (infertile) or dead eggs so they don't rot. For chickens, candle around day 7 and again around day 14. The tool gives the candling dates for your chosen bird.
What is lockdown in incubation?+
Lockdown is the final stretch — for chickens, the last 3 days (from day 18). You stop turning the eggs, raise the humidity, and don't open the incubator so chicks can position and pip without the membrane drying out. The tool marks the lockdown date.
What temperature and humidity do eggs need?+
For most poultry in a forced-air incubator, hold about 37.5 °C (99.5 °F) and roughly 45–55% relative humidity during incubation, raising humidity to 65–75% at lockdown for hatching. Follow your incubator and species guidance; this tool handles the dates, not the climate control.
How often should I turn the eggs?+
Turn eggs an odd number of times a day — at least 3, ideally 5 — until lockdown, to stop the embryo sticking to the shell membrane. Automatic turners do this continuously. Stop turning at lockdown. The timeline shows the turning phase and when to stop.
Why is my hatch a day early or late?+
Incubation length varies a little with temperature: slightly warm runs hatch early, slightly cool runs hatch late, which is why the tool shows a ±1-day window. Egg storage before setting and genetics also shift timing by a day or so.
Can I set eggs of different species together?+
Only if their incubation lengths and lockdown timing are close, since lockdown humidity and stop-turning must suit each. Mixing chicken (21 d) with duck (28 d) means different lockdown dates — stagger setting so they reach lockdown together, or incubate separately.
Do I count the set day as day 0 or day 1?+
Conventions vary, but this tool counts the set date as day 0 and adds the full incubation length, so a 21-day chicken egg set on day 0 hatches on day 21. Use the dates it gives directly rather than counting by hand.
Does this replace an incubation guide?+
No — it's a scheduling aid for hatch, candling and lockdown dates. Follow a species-specific incubation guide and your incubator's manual for temperature, humidity, ventilation and turning, and keep good hygiene.