Chicken egg hatching calculator
The day to candle, the lockdown day and the hatch day for your incubator.
Chicken eggs take 21 days to hatch in an incubator: they hatch on day 21 after you set them.
Day you set the eggs
The day they went into the incubator.
Pick the day you set the eggs to see their hatch day.
Example: chicken eggs set on February 1 are candled on February 11, go into lockdown on February 19 and hatch on February 22.
Days to hatch
Chicken eggs
21 days · lockdown day 18
Questions
How long do chicken eggs take to hatch?
Chicken eggs take 21 days to hatch in an incubator: they hatch on day 21 after you set them.
What is lockdown?
The last few days before the hatch: stop turning the eggs and raise the humidity so the chicks can hatch. For chicken eggs it starts on day 18.
When should I candle the eggs?
From about day 10 a growing embryo shows as a dark spot with fine blood vessels; an egg that glows bright all through did not start.
What if they have not hatched on the day?
Keep the incubator closed and steady for another day or two — opening it lets the humidity out. Then candle the eggs that are left before you give up on them.
Sources
Last checked September 30, 2026. A common guide — your vet’s plan wins.
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