How Many Days Is Quail Incubation? Temperature, Humidity and Hatch Guide

The quail is a favourite for incubation beginners thanks to its small footprint, fast breeding and early laying. But "small" doesn't mean easy; the quail has its own settings and details. In this guide we explain the quail egg's incubation period, temperature and humidity, turning and the hatch period step by step.

If you've read our comprehensive guide to hatching eggs in an incubator, which explains the general logic through the chicken, here we'll focus only on what's specific to quail.

How Many Days Is Quail Incubation?

A quail egg hatches in 17-18 days. This is standard for the most commonly raised type, the Japanese (Coturnix) quail. It's noticeably shorter than the chicken's 21 days, which makes the quail attractive for impatient keepers.

The period splits in two:

• Days 1–14: development period
• Days 15–18: hatch period

Temperature for Quail Incubation

Temperature is the most critical parameter for quail too:

• Forced-air (fan) machines: 37.5 – 37.8 °C
• Still-air (static) machines: 38.0 – 38.5 °C (measured at egg level)

These are similar to the chicken's values. But because the quail egg is small it reacts faster to temperature swings; so keeping the temperature steady matters even more than for chicken. Don't trust the machine's display — verify with an external digital thermometer.

Humidity for Quail Incubation

Humidity splits into two periods:

• Days 1–14 (development period): 45%–55%
• Days 15–18 (hatch period): 65%–70%

Raising humidity in the hatch period is critical so the small, delicate quail chick comes out without sticking to the shell. Because quail chicks are so small, the risk of sticking to the shell in a dry environment is higher than for chicken.

Turning the Eggs

• Frequency: 3-5 times a day, an odd number.
• Stopping: Stop turning at the end of day 14. Because the quail's period is short, not missing this date matters; if you act on the chicken's day-18 habit, you'll be late.
• On an auto-turner machine, don't forget to switch off the motor on day 14.

Candling — Why Is It Hard with Quail?

The quail eggshell is speckled and darkly patterned. This pattern makes seeing inside by holding it to a light (candling) much harder than with chicken. Still:

• Around day 7 you can try with a strong light source. On lighter-coloured eggs the network of veins may be visible.
• On darkly patterned eggs you may not get a clear image; in that case you'll have to wait until hatch to remove an empty egg.

That's why choosing eggs well from the start is extra important with quail.

The Hatch Period (Last 3-4 Days)

From day 15:

1. Stop turning (at the end of day 14).
2. Raise humidity to 65-70%.
3. Don't open the lid. The quail chick, being small, is far more sensitive to humidity loss. Opening the lid and dropping the humidity causes the chick to stick to the shell and die.
4. Once chicks start hatching, be patient and don't intervene.

Quail chicks are very small and active after hatching; make sure the wire/grid gaps of the brooder are small enough not to trap them.

A Quail Advantage: Early Laying

The quail's biggest appeal is its fast breeding cycle. Quail reach sexual maturity and start laying at about 6 weeks old (40-45 days). So a quail you hatch can start giving you eggs in under two months. For chicken this takes 5-6 months. This speed makes the quail ideal for small-scale production and quick turnaround.

The Most Common Mistakes

• Acting on the chicken calendar. Quail is 18 days, not 21, and turning stops on day 14, not 18. Mixing up the periods is the most common mistake.
• Opening the lid during the hatch period. The small chick is very sensitive to humidity loss.
• Skipping brooder preparation. Because the hatched chicks are tiny, a suitable environment is essential.

Because the quail's period differs from the chicken's, it's critical to track which day you're on and when to stop turning and raise humidity. The Kuluçka Takip app automatically sets the right calendar for each species (chicken, quail, duck) and notifies you of turn-stop and hatch reminders. You can check out the app here.

Quail incubation, with its short period and fast laying cycle, is one of the most satisfying options for beginners. Knowing the differences from chicken — especially the 18-day period and stopping turning on day 14 — is the key to a successful hatch. For all the general incubation principles, also see our chicken incubation guide.