How to Incubate Chukar Partridge Eggs
The short version
| Incubation temp (forced-air) | 99.5–100°F (37.5–37.8°C) |
|---|---|
| Still-air temp (top of egg) | 102–103°F (38.9–39.4°C) |
| Humidity (days 1–lockdown) | 50–60% |
| Humidity (lockdown–hatch) | 65–75% |
| Total incubation | 23–24 days |
| Lockdown day | Day 20 |
| Candle around | day 7, day 14, day 20 |
Day-by-day schedule
| Day | Phase | What to do | Temp | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–7 | Incubation | Set eggs large-end up or on their side and turn at least 3–5 times a day (an odd number so they rest on alternate sides overnight), or use an autoturner. Chukar eggs are small and speckled, so mark the set date clearly. Candle around day 7 to look for the first fine veining. | 99.5–100°F | 50–60% |
| Days 8–14 | Incubation | Keep turning and hold temperature and humidity steady. Candle to remove clears (infertile) and quitters (blood rings / stalled embryos) — game-bird eggs spoil and can burst fast in a warm incubator, contaminating good eggs nearby. | 99.5–100°F | 50–60% |
| Days 15–19 | Incubation | Final turning days. The embryo fills most of the egg and the air cell should be drawing down clearly. Top up water channels so humidity doesn't crash before lockdown, and stage your hatcher or lockdown tray. | 99.5–100°F | 50–60% |
| Day 20 | Lockdown | Stop turning (Mississippi State Extension: no egg turning after day 20 for chukar). Lay eggs on their side, raise humidity to 65–75%, and keep the incubator closed — opening it now can shrink-wrap chicks. This is 'lockdown.' | 99.5–100°F | 65–75% |
| Days 21–22 | Hatch | Chicks internally pip into the air cell, then externally pip the shell. Expect peeping and small cracks. Resist opening the lid — every peek drops humidity and can stall pipped siblings. Chukar chicks are tiny and quick once they zip. | 99.5–100°F | 65–75% |
| Days 23–24 | Hatch | Most chukars zip and hatch. Leave them in the incubator to dry and fluff for several hours before moving to a brooder. Stragglers can arrive on day 25, especially from cooler incubators or stored eggs. | 99.5–100°F | 65–75% |
Temperature: forced-air vs still-air
In a forced-air incubator (one with a fan) the whole cabinet sits at one temperature, so set it to 99.5–100°F. Mississippi State University Extension's game-bird hatchery guide specifies 100°F dry-bulb for chukar partridge; Penn State Extension cites setting clean eggs at 99.5–100°F. Either is within the safe band.
A still-air incubator has no fan, so warm air layers near the top. Measure temperature at the top of the eggs and run 2–3°F higher — about 102–103°F there, per Mississippi State's note to add 2–3°F to the forced-air figure for still-air units. A still-air unit that reads 99.5°F at egg-top is actually running cold.
Humidity and the air cell
Run about 50–60% relative humidity for days 1–20 — Mississippi State lists 81–83°F wet-bulb for chukar during incubation, and Penn State recommends roughly 60% relative humidity. Then raise humidity to 65–75% at lockdown (Mississippi State's general incubation guidance is 65% or more at hatch). The single best check is the air cell: candle weekly and confirm it is growing to about one-third of the egg by day 20. If the air cell is too small, lower humidity; if it is too large, raise it.
Candling a speckled egg
Chukar eggs are small, buff-to-yellow, and heavily speckled, which makes them harder to candle than a pale chicken egg — use a bright, focused candler in a dark room and rotate the egg to read past the spots. Candle around day 7–10 to confirm a network of veins and a moving embryo, and again before lockdown on day 20 to remove clears and quitters so they don't burst and contaminate the hatch.
Calculate your hatch dates
Enter the date you set your chukar eggs to get your candling, lockdown, and hatch dates — with a calendar download.
Pick a species and the date you set the eggs to see your candling, lockdown, and hatch dates.
Dry-hatch vs standard humidity
- The 'dry hatch' method runs lower humidity (roughly 30–40%) through the first 20 days and relies on watching the air cell grow to the right size, then raising humidity hard at lockdown. It suits humid climates or big-air-cell shipped eggs; drier-climate hatchers usually need the standard 50–60%.
- Whichever method you pick, the target is the same: the air cell should reach about a third of the egg by lockdown. Candle and adjust to the air cell, not to a fixed humidity number — chukar eggs are small, so weigh-and-track works well if you have a gram scale.
Shipped eggs
- Let shipped eggs rest large-end up for 8–24 hours before setting so scrambled air cells can re-settle. Chukar eggs are prized for tolerating storage, but shipping is still rough on air cells.
- Shipped game-bird eggs often hatch well below fresh eggs even when handled perfectly — jostled air cells and temperature swings in transit are the cause, not your incubator. Set more than you need.
- If air cells are wobbly or detached ('saddled'), incubate upright in an egg carton for the first week and hand-turn gently.
Common pitfalls
- Trusting the incubator's built-in thermometer — calibrate against a known-good thermometer and hygrometer first; small game-bird eggs are unforgiving of a hot incubator.
- Opening the incubator during lockdown, which drops humidity and can shrink-wrap a pipped chick.
- Turning past day 20, which interferes with the chick positioning to pip the air cell.
- Assuming a chicken schedule — chukars need 23–24 days and lock down on day 20, not day 18, so pulling them early kills late-pipping chicks.
Frequently asked questions
- What temperature do I incubate chukar eggs at?
- 99.5–100°F in a forced-air incubator, or about 102–103°F measured at the top of the eggs in a still-air incubator (2–3°F higher than forced-air).
- What day is lockdown for chukar eggs?
- Day 20. Stop turning, raise humidity to 65–75%, and keep the incubator closed until the chicks hatch around day 23–24. Mississippi State Extension specifies no egg turning after day 20 for chukar.
- How long do chukar eggs take to hatch?
- 23–24 days. A few chicks may arrive on day 25, especially if the incubator ran slightly cool or the eggs were stored before setting.
- What humidity do I need for hatching chukar eggs?
- Around 50–60% (roughly 81–83°F wet-bulb) for the first 20 days, then 65–75% from lockdown through hatch. Use the air-cell size as your real guide — it should reach about a third of the egg by day 20.
- When should I candle chukar eggs?
- Around day 7–10 to confirm veining and fertility, and again just before lockdown on day 20 to pull any clears or quitters. Use a bright candler and a dark room — the speckled shell is hard to see through.
- Why didn't my chukar eggs hatch on time?
- Cool incubation delays hatching, so give stragglers until day 25 before giving up. Persistent late or failed hatches usually trace to inaccurate temperature, wrong humidity/air-cell size, or shipped and stored eggs with damaged air cells.
Sources
- Hatchery Management Guide for Game Bird and Small Poultry Flock Owners (Table 2: incubation periods & operation) — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)
- Partridge Production (chukar incubation temperature, humidity, and days) — Penn State Extension (University extension)
- Important incubation factors (humidity and wet-bulb guidance) — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)