incubation temps & tips

Requirement	Chicken and Bantam	Turkey	Duck¹	Muscovy Duck	Goose	Guinea	Pheasant	Peafowl	Bobwhite Quail	Coturnix Quail	Chukar Partridge
Incubation Period (days)	21	28	28	35-37	28-34	28	23-28	28-30	23-24	17	23-24
Forced-Air Operating Temperature² (degrees F., dry bulb)	99.75	99.25	99.5	99.5	99.25	99.75	99.75	99.25	99.75	99.75	99.75
Humidity (degrees F., wet bulb)	85-87	83-85	84-86	84-86	86-88	83-85	86-88	83-85	84-86	84-86	80-82
Do Not Turn Eggs After	19th day	25th day	25th day	31st day	25th day	25th day	21st day	25th day	21st day	15th day	21st day
Operating Temperature During Last 3 Days of Incubation (degrees F., dry bulb)	99	98.5	98.75	98.75	98.5	99	99	98.5	99	99	99
Humidity During Last 3 Days of Incubation (degrees F. wet bulb)	90-94	90-94	90-94	90-94	³90-94	90-94	92-95	90-94	90-94	90-94	90-94
Open Ventilation Holes One-Fourth	10th day	14th day	12th day	15th day	1st day	14th day	12th day	14th day	12th day	8th day	12th day
Open Ventilation Holes Further if Needed To Control Temperature	18th day	25th day	25th day	30th day	25th day	24th day	20th day	25th day	20th day	14th day	20th day

¹It has been reported that duck eggs hatch better in still‑air incubators than in forced‑air incubators.

²For still‑air incubators add 2‑30F. to the recommended operating temperatures.

³Better hatchability may be obtained if goose eggs are sprinkled with warm water or dipped in lukewarm water for half a minute each day during the last half of the incubation period.

(Information combined with Coop. Ext. Sev. Cir. 530, from Clemson University, Clemson, SC)