Incubation Periods For Different Species Of Birds’ Eggs
Different species of birds’ eggs require different lengths of incubation time.
Here is a guide to the incubation period for different species of birds’ eggs.
Bobwhite Quail = 23-24 days
Canada Goose = 35 days
Chicken = 21 days
Chukar Partridge = 23-24 days
Cotumix (Japanese) Quail = 17 days
Duck = 28 days
Egyptian Goose = 35 days
Emu = 43-50 days
Goose = 30 days
Grouse = 25 days
Guinea Fowl = 28 days
Indian Runner Duck = 28 and a half days
Mallard = 26 and a half-27 days
Muscovy Duck = 35-37 days
Ostrich = 42-48 days
Partridge = 23-24 days
Peafowl = 28-30 days
Pheasant = 23-28 days
Pigeon = 17 days
Rheas = 35-40 days
Turkey = 28 days
Please note that this is only a guide and this information may differ according to the incubator manufacturer’s guide.
Always consult the manufacturer’s guide when using an incubator
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Incubation
Your website is really great. we want to start a small holding and have some chicken etc. Do you have a newsletter, could not find one yet.
Comment by Volker — February 17, 2008 @ 10:04 am
Hi Volker,
Thank you very much for the compliment about my site. I am glad that you like it. I currently don’t produce a newsletter, although that is something I am looking into producing. If you have any specific questions that you would like me to answer then feel free to send them in and I will try to answer them for you.
Good luck with your smallholding - let me know how you get on.
Sara from farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — February 17, 2008 @ 12:59 pm
I have a mucovy who has been laying for 5 almost 6 weeks I have candled the eggs and 6 of them are dark with an air sack but I don’t see vessles like some pictures I’ve seen.How long do I let her go If I’m not exactly sure when she layed them? If they are not good will she leave them or do I take them. Thank You, Brandyn
Comment by Brandyn — May 24, 2008 @ 1:59 am
Hi Brandyn, Thanks for visiting my website and leaving a comment.
Muscovy duck eggs usually hatch around 35-37 days but they could be a week late. The duck will start to lay a clutch of eggs, usually 10-15 and the egg laid on the first day will hatch at roughly the same time as the other eggs as the incubation doesn’t begin until the last egg is laid before the duck settles down on the eggs.
You say that it has been 5-6 weeks, if the duck is still sitting on the eggs then this is a good sign as it is my belief that ducks and hens do not leave the eggs unless they are certain that the eggs are not fertile or they are frightened away by predators. In the latter stages of egg hatching, I believe that the duck can feel the ducklings moving around and this keeps them sitting on the eggs, although the duck may get up for food and drink once or twice a day. if your duck is still sitting then I would wait to see what happens.
If the duck has left the eggs then I would be inclined to recandle them and feel for movement and then take them and place them in an incubator that I had had running for 24 hours before taking the eggs. At this stage you can only wait to see what happens.
I hope this information helps. Let me know how you get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — May 24, 2008 @ 11:24 pm
hi i really like your website i have been looking for a sutible website for a week or so at least lol!
I am getting Runner Ducks and breeding them.
Thanks to you i will hopefully breed them successfully!
Cheerz! :] ! [:
Comment by Lovaduck — May 25, 2008 @ 6:09 pm
Thanks for the information. I am about to incubate some Bronze and White Turkeys for the first time and I needed a bit of specific data. Your site was gracious enough to provide it quite clearly.
I had a very interesting and entertaining time trying to get some stores to take me seriously when I was trying to order 6 Turkey Saddles …
You may well imagine the comments …
Thanks again
Comment by Dave — May 27, 2008 @ 8:12 pm
Hi, can you help me,I have a drake and a female indian runner duck.The female is laying one egg everyday, which we collect.How do I know if she is broody or wants to hatch them ? or will she lay a clutch of eggs? I would love to breed them but am unsure how to get started.
thanks
Sam
Comment by sammy — June 19, 2008 @ 10:12 am
Hi Sam,
What a great question. A broody hen http://www.farmingfriends.com/broody-hens/ or duck will sit on her eggs. Your duck won’t go broody if the eggs are being taken away. If you want to get your duck to sit then you could try leaving the eggs in the nest or if you don’t wish to do this then get some pot eggs and leave them in the nest until she won’t leave the nest. Once she has gone broody, it is important to make sure that the nest is comfortable and food and water are within easy reach. When a duck does sit it is important to make sure that the duck leaves the nest everyday to stretch her legs, and eat/drink and possible have a quick swim. When she returns to the nest her damp body from her swim will help to keep the humidity levels correct. If you take your eggs away and use pot eggs to get her to sit then it is important to make sure that you store the eggs correctly. http://www.farmingfriends.com/choosing-and-storing-eggs-before-incubation/ Don’t store your eggs for more than 7 days before placing them under your broody hen and make sure that you turn them 4/5 times a day.
I hope this information is useful and that you get your duck to go broody or find a broody hen to sit on the eggs as eggs hatch more successfully under a broody hen or duck.
Let me know how you get on and best of luck. Kind regards.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — June 19, 2008 @ 1:38 pm
Hi i have had 6 indian runner duck eggs in an incubator for 28.5 days now. One hatched two days early and is really healthy, eats and drinks. One we relised was off as the smell was bad. The other four are still in the incubator and now nearly 3 days late. Im really confused because one was two days early and the others haven’t hatched after 2days of the hatch date.
I have another 8 eggs in the incubator from a different set so i will be able to see if i have done something wrong, or if it was the eggs themselves.
But i was wondering what you think of the situation?
Thanks dan.
Comment by Dan — June 30, 2008 @ 4:37 am
Hi Dan,
I am glad to hear that your duckling is healthy and doing well.
There are a number of reasons why eggs can hatch early and late.
Small eggs.
Improper egg storage.
Temperature too high in the incubator.
Humidity too low in the incubator.
Here are some handy tips to help prevent eggs hatching early;
Choose incubation eggs carefully.
Avoid incubating eggs that are too small.
If keeping eggs prior to incubation then store in the correct conditions (pay particular attention to temperature and humidity conditions).
Do not store eggs for more than 7 days before incubation.
If storing eggs before incubation, then turn the eggs regularly. http://www.farmingfriends.com/choosing-and-storing-eggs-before-incubation/
Regularly check the temperature in the incubator. http://www.farmingfriends.com/a-temperature-guide-for-different-species-of-birds-eggs-in-the-incubator/
Try to maintain the correct temperature in the incubator at all times.
Check the temperature in the incubator room is not too high.
Regularly check the humidity in the incubator. http://www.farmingfriends.com/humidity-levels-for-egg-incubation/
Try to maintain the correct humidity levels in the incubator at all time.
Note that the required temperature and humidity levels are not the same throughout the whole of the incubation period.
A wet bulb thermometer maybe a good purchase to help accurately measure the humidity and temperature levels in the incubator. http://www.farmingfriends.com/a-wet-bulb-thermometer/
Check that the incubator is working correctly and has a constant temperature throughout the whole of the incubator.
Reasons for a late hatch include:Large Eggs.
Old Eggs.
Improperly stored eggs.
Temperature too low in the incubator.
Humidity in the incubator too high.
Warm and cool areas in the incubator.
Here are some handy tips to help prevent eggs hatching late;
Choose incubation eggs carefully.
Avoid incubating eggs that are too large.
If keeping eggs prior to incubation then store in the correct conditions.
Do not store eggs for more than 7 days before incubation.
Regularly check the temperature in the incubator.
Try to maintain the correct temperature in the incubator at all times.
Regularly check the humidity in the incubator.
Try to maintain the correct humidity levels in the incubator at all time.
Note that the required temperature and humidity levels are not the same throughout the whole of the incubation period.
A wet bulb thermometer maybe a good purchase to help accurately measure the humidity and temperature levels in the incubator.
Check that the incubator is working correctly and has a constant temperature throughout the whole of the incubator.
I hope this informastion is useful.
Let me know how the other 8 eggs get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — July 1, 2008 @ 9:39 pm