Egg incubation calculator
Enter the day you set the eggs and the species. You get the earliest and latest expected hatch dates and the date to stop turning the eggs.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Enter the date you placed the eggs in the incubator.
- Choose the species.
- Mark the hatch and lockdown dates on your calendar.
How it works
Hatch date = set date + incubation days. Lockdown = earliest hatch minus 3 days. Days used: chicken 21, duck 28, Muscovy 35, quail 17–18, goose 28–35, turkey 28.
Worked example
Chicken eggs set on 1 March 2027 hatch on 22 March, and turning stops on 19 March. Quail set the same day hatch on 18–19 March, with lockdown on 15 March.
Tips
- Always follow your incubator’s manual for temperature and humidity; they differ between machines.
- Mark the set date on the egg shell in pencil when you add eggs on different days.
Frequently asked questions
How long do eggs take to hatch?
Chickens take about 21 days, ducks 28, Muscovy ducks about 35, turkeys 28, geese 28 to 35 depending on breed, and quail 17 to 18 days depending on species.
What is lockdown?
In the last days you stop turning the eggs, raise humidity and leave the incubator closed so the chicks can hatch. The calculator uses three days before the earliest hatch, a common rule.
Why is my hatch late or early?
Temperature a degree off, eggs stored a long time before setting, and breed differences can move the hatch by a day or more. Hatches commonly spread over 24 hours or longer.
Does the day I set count as day 0?
Yes. The hatch date is the setting date plus the number of days, so eggs set on 1 March with a 21-day period hatch on 22 March.