Egg Incubation times and temperature for chickens, quail, turkeys, and other birds

The generally accepted temperature for incubating almost all birds eggs is between 99.5 and 100.0 degrees F (37.5-37.8 C).  Slight variations around this temperature range is alright, but varying more than a degree up or down for extended periods of time can have an impact on your hatch rate, cause birth defects, and even prevent eggs from hatching.  A few of the exceptions to this temperature range would be for Emu and Ostrich eggs.  Emu eggs require 95.5 to 96.5 degrees F (35.3 - 35.8 C) and Ostrich eggs require 97.0 to 98.0 degrees F (36.1 - 36.6 C)

The amount of time required to incubate an egg can very quite a bit depending on the type of bird.  See the chart below.  Please note that several factors can change the amount of time listed below, such as incubation temperature, humidity level, egg handling, and genetics.

Species Incubation Period Stop Turning Eggs     Large Fowl 21 days 19th day  Bantams 21 days 19th day Games 21 days 19th day            Barbary 23 days  21st day  Chuckar 23 days 21st day  Hungarian 23 days  21st day            Congo  26 days 22nd day  Green 28 days 26th day  Guineas 28 days 26th day India Blue 27-29 days 25th day            Bar-Tailed 27-28 days 25th day  Blood 27-29 days 25th day  Blue Eared 26-28 days 24th day  Brown Eared 26-27 days 24th day  Buff Ringneck 24-25 days 22nd day  Cheer 26 days 24th day Copper  25 days 23rd day  Edwards 22 days 20th day  Elliot's 25 days 23rd day  Fireback 23-24 days 21st day  Golden (Red) 22 days 20th day  Imperial  25 days 23rd day  Kalij 24-25 days 22nd day  Koklass 26-27 days 24th day  Lady Amherst 22 days 20th day Melanistic 24-25 days 22nd day  Mikado 27 days 25th day  Reeve's 25 days 23rd day  Ringneck 24-25 days 22nd day Salvdori's 25 days 23rd day  Silver 25-26 days 23rd day  Swinehoe 25 days 23rd day  Wattled 24-26 days 22nd day  White Eared 24-25 days 22nd day  White Mutant 24-25 days 22nd day  Yellow Golden 22 days 20th day                                  Benson 22 days 20th day  Blue Scaled 23 days 21st day  Bobwhite 22-23 days 20th day  Button 16 days 14th day  Cal Valley 22-23 days 20th day  Coturnix 16-18 days 14th day  Gambels 22 days 20th day  Mearns 24-25 days 23rd day  Mountain 24-25 days 23rd day            Black Spanish 28 days 26th day  Bourbon Red 28 days 26th day  BB Bronze 28 days 26th day  Giant White 28 days 26th day  Royal Palm 28 days 26th day  Wild 28 days 26th day            Canary 14 days 12th day  Dove 14 days 12th day  Finch 14 days 12th day  Mynah Birds 14 days 12th day  Parakeets 18 days 16th day  Parrots 28 days 26th day  Amazon 28 days 26th day Macaw 28 days 26th day Cockatoo 28-29 days 26th day           Blyth's 28-30 days 26th day  Cabot's 28 days 26th day  Satyr 28 days 26th day  Temminck's 28 days 26th day  Western 28 days 26th day            Ducks  28 days 26th day Muscovy 35-37 days 34th day Geese 28-30 days 27th day Swans 30-37 days 29th day           Rea 35-40 days 34th day  Ostrich 42 days 40th day Emu 50-56 days 49th day           Ceylon 20-21 days 18th day  Green 21 days 19th day  Grey 20-21 days 18th day  Red 19-21 days 17th day           Monal 28 days 26th day  Crane 30 days 28th day  Crested Argus  24-25 days 23rd day  Great Argus 24-25 days 23rd day  Grouse/Prairie 25 days 23rd day  Himalayan 28 days 26th day  Pigeons 17 days 13th day