Hatch day
November 15, 2026Sunday
- 17days to hatch
- Nov 13stop turning
- 17days to go
- Your chicks should hatch on Sunday, November 15, 2026. That is 17 days after the eggs go in.
- Stop turning the eggs on Nov 13 (day 15). Raise the humidity that day. Open the vents more on Nov 12 (day 14).
- Keep a forced-air incubator at 100 °F. Do not let it move more than 1 °F in all.
- Humidity: 85 to 86 °F on a wet-bulb thermometer (about 54% to 57% at 100 °F). For the last days, 90 °F (about 68%).
- Today is day 0. 17 days to go.
Your hatch calendar
Day 1 is the day after the eggs go in.
Incubation chart by bird
For a fan (forced-air) incubator. Hatch dates are for eggs set on October 29, 2026. Humidity is on a wet-bulb thermometer.
| Bird | Days | Kentucky says | Heat | Humidity | Last days | Stop turning after | Hatch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 21 days | 21 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 85 to 87 °F29.4 to 30.6 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 18 | Nov 19 |
| Turkey | 28 days | 28 days | 99 °F37.2 °C | 84 to 86 °F28.9 to 30.0 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 25 | Nov 26 |
| Duck | 28 days | 28 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 85 to 86 °F29.4 to 30.0 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 25 | Nov 26 |
| Muscovy duck | 35 to 37 days | 35 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 85 to 86 °F29.4 to 30.0 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 31 | Dec 3 to Dec 5 |
| Goose | 28 to 34 days | 28 to 32 days | 99 °F37.2 °C | 86 to 88 °F30.0 to 31.1 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 25 | Nov 26 to Dec 2 |
| Guinea fowl | 28 days | 28 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 85 to 87 °F29.4 to 30.6 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 25 | Nov 26 |
| Pheasant | 23 to 28 days | 24 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 86 to 88 °F30.0 to 31.1 °C | 92 °F33.3 °C | day 21 | Nov 21 to Nov 26 |
| Peafowl | 28 to 30 days | 28 days | 99 °F37.2 °C | 84 to 86 °F28.9 to 30.0 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 25 | Nov 26 to Nov 28 |
| Bobwhite quail | 23 to 24 days | 24 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 84 to 87 °F28.9 to 30.6 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 20 | Nov 21 to Nov 22 |
| Coturnix quail | 17 days | 16 to 18 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 85 to 86 °F29.4 to 30.0 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 15 | Nov 15 |
| Chukar | 23 to 24 days | 24 days | 100 °F37.8 °C | 81 to 83 °F27.2 to 28.3 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 20 | Nov 21 to Nov 22 |
| Pigeon | 17 days | – | 100 °F37.8 °C | 85 to 87 °F29.4 to 30.6 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | day 15 | Nov 15 |
Days, heat and humidity: Mississippi State Extension. "Kentucky says": University of Kentucky Extension. When they differ, we show both.
Wet-bulb to humidity
Most charts give humidity as a wet-bulb reading. Your incubator may show a percent. Find your heat on the left. Read across to your wet-bulb number. The top row is the humidity.
| Heat | 45% | 50% | 55% | 60% | 65% | 70% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.5 °F37.5 °C | 80.8 °F27.1 °C | 82.8 °F28.2 °C | 85.1 °F29.5 °C | 86.9 °F30.5 °C | 88.7 °F31.5 °C | 90.1 °F32.3 °C |
| 100 °F37.8 °C | 81.3 °F27.4 °C | 83.3 °F28.5 °C | 85.3 °F29.6 °C | 87.3 °F30.7 °C | 89 °F31.7 °C | 90.7 °F32.6 °C |
| 101 °F38.3 °C | 82.2 °F27.9 °C | 84.2 °F29.0 °C | 86.2 °F30.1 °C | 88.2 °F31.2 °C | 90 °F32.2 °C | 91.7 °F33.2 °C |
| 102 °F38.9 °C | 83 °F28.3 °C | 85 °F29.4 °C | 87 °F30.6 °C | 89 °F31.7 °C | 91 °F32.8 °C | 92.7 °F33.7 °C |
From University of Kentucky Extension, ASC-195, Table 4. At 100 °F37.8 °C, a wet-bulb reading of 85 °F29.4 °C is about 54%.
About the numbers
Coturnix quail are also called Japanese quail. Their eggs hatch fast, in about 17 days.
Bobwhite quail eggs take about a week longer. Mississippi State gives 23 to 24 days. Kentucky gives 24.
The days, heat and humidity come from Mississippi State's chart. It lists chukar with the quail, so we do too.
Questions
How long do quail eggs take to hatch?
Coturnix quail eggs take 17 days. Kentucky says 16 to 18. Bobwhite quail eggs take 23 to 24 days. Kentucky says 24.
When do I stop turning quail eggs?
Coturnix: after day 15. Bobwhite and chukar: after day 20.
What heat do quail eggs need?
100 °F37.8 °C in an incubator with a fan. With no fan, add 2 to 3 degrees F (1.1 to 1.7 °C), says Mississippi State.
How long can I keep quail eggs before I set them?
Not more than 2 weeks, says Mississippi State. Keep them at 50 to 65 °F10.0 to 18.3 °C until then.
Sources
- Mississippi State University Extension, Important incubation factorsundatedDays, heat, humidity, the day to stop turning and the day to open the vents, for 12 birds
- University of Kentucky Extension ASC-195, Incubating EggsDec 2012A second set of days, heat and humidity; the wet-bulb table