The avian embryo is amazing and exciting. In only three weeks, a

This prevents eggs from being overlooked and left in the incubator after they should have 
hatched. The eggs should be set and maintained vertically with the large end up, or 
horizontally with the large end slightly elevated. This will let the embryo stay in the proper 
position for hatching. 
Chicken eggs require 21 days to hatch, but the incubation periods for the eggs of other 
species of poultry vary. The approximate periods of incubation required for various species 
of poultry and game birds are:
Chicken 
Turkey 
Duck 
Muscovy Duck 
Goose 
Guinea 
Pigeon 
Ring-neck Pheasant 
Bobwhite Quail 
Japanese Quail 
Chukar Partridge 
Peafowl 
21 days 
28 days 
28 days 
33-35 days 
29-31 days 
26-28 days 
16-18 days 
23-24 days 
23 days 
17-18 days 
22-23 days 
28 days 
Don't disturb the eggs during the three days before hatching. Place adequate water in the 
incubator and make necessary adjustments before closing the incubator on the 18
th
 day. 
Don't open the incubator until all chicks have hatched. Opening the incubator allows 
moisture to escape and makes it more difficult for later chicks to hatch. All the chicks 
should be out of their shells by the end of the 21
st
 day unless proper incubation conditions 
were not maintained. Chicks hatched after the 22
nd
 day are not healthy and vigorous. After 
the chicks have hatched and fluffed up, remove them from the incubator and place them 
under a brooder with feed and water. For brooding information, see Mississippi