| Date | Day | What to do |
|---|
To find your hatch date, add the incubation period to the day you set the eggs: 21 days for chickens, 28 for ducks and turkeys, 35 for Muscovy ducks, 17–18 for Coturnix quail and 28–33 for geese. Stop turning and start lockdown 3 days before that date. Eggs set on a Sunday evening, for example, usually start hatching three Sundays later.
How the hatch date is calculated
The day you put eggs in a warm incubator is day 0. Day 1 begins 24 hours later. The calculator adds each species' standard incubation period to that date, then works backward to place lockdown 3 days before hatch and forward to give you a "don't give up yet" date 2 days after it.
Real hatches drift by a day or so either way. Eggs from small breeds, incubators running slightly warm, and very fresh eggs tend to hatch early. Old or shipped eggs and cool incubators hatch late. If you set eggs in the evening, expect the first pips on the evening of hatch day rather than the morning.
Incubation periods used
| Species | Days | Candle | Lockdown | Humidity → lockdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 21 | Day 7, 14 | Day 18 | 40–50% → 65–70% |
| Bantam chicken | 20–21 | Day 7, 14 | Day 17 | 40–50% → 65–70% |
| Duck | 28 | Day 7, 14, 24 | Day 25 | 55–60% → 65–75% |
| Muscovy duck | 35 | Day 10, 21, 31 | Day 32 | 55–60% → 65–75% |
| Coturnix quail | 17–18 | Day 7 | Day 15 | 45–50% → 65–70% |
| Bobwhite quail | 23–24 | Day 7, 14 | Day 21 | 45–50% → 65–70% |
| Goose | 28–33 | Day 7, 14, 25 | 3 days before hatch | 50–55% → 70–75% |
| Turkey | 28 | Day 7, 14, 24 | Day 25 | 50–55% → 65–70% |
| Guinea fowl | 27–28 | Day 7, 14 | Day 24 | 45–55% → 65–70% |
| Pheasant | 24–26 | Day 7, 14 | Day 21 | 45–55% → 65–70% |
The full method for each step is in our step-by-step hatching guide, and the 21-day calendar shows what's developing inside a chicken egg each day.
Frequently asked questions
If I set chicken eggs today, when will they hatch?
Exactly three weeks from today. Chicken eggs take 21 days, so eggs set on a Monday should hatch on the Monday three weeks later. Plan to stop turning and start lockdown on the Friday of week three, which is day 18.
Is the day I set the eggs day 0 or day 1?
Day 0. The first full 24 hours in the incubator completes day 1. Counting the set day as day 1 is the most common reason people start lockdown a day early or think their eggs are late.
How late can eggs hatch?
Chicken eggs commonly hatch up to 1–2 days late, especially if the incubator ran a little cool or eggs were stored before setting. Wait until day 23 for chickens (day 30 for ducks) and candle before discarding anything.
Does the calculator work for staggered or mixed hatches?
Yes. Run it once per batch. To have different species hatch together, set the longer-incubating eggs first. For example, set duck eggs 7 days before chicken eggs so both reach lockdown on the same day.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. The "copy link" button puts your species and set date in the link so you can bookmark it, and the calendar file is created on your device.