How to Incubate Guinea Fowl Eggs
The short version
| Incubation temp (forced-air) | 100°F (37.8°C) |
|---|---|
| Still-air temp (top of egg) | 102–103°F (38.9–39.4°C) |
| Humidity (days 1–lockdown) | 58–60% |
| Humidity (lockdown–hatch) | 65–70% |
| Total incubation | 26–28 days |
| Lockdown day | Day 25 |
| Candle around | day 7, day 14, day 25 |
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. Guinea shells are thick and hard, so a warm-up to full temperature can take a little longer than chicken eggs. Candle around day 7 — the darker, speckled shell makes veining harder to read, so use a bright candler in a dark room. | 100°F | 58–60% |
| Days 8–14 | Incubation | Keep turning and hold temperature steady. Candle to remove clears (infertile) and quitters (blood rings / stalled embryos) so they don't spoil. Mississippi State's game-bird guide recommends opening the incubator vents an additional quarter on about day 14 as the embryos' oxygen demand climbs. | 100°F | 58–60% |
| Days 15–24 | Incubation | Continue turning through day 24. The keet fills most of the egg and the air cell draws down. Watch humidity closely on the hard, low-porosity shells — the air cell should reach roughly a third of the egg by lockdown. | 100°F | 58–60% |
| Day 25 | Lockdown | Stop turning (MSU specifies the 25th day). Lay eggs on their side, raise humidity to 65%+, open vents further as needed, and keep the incubator closed — opening it now can shrink-wrap keets. This is 'lockdown.' | 100°F | 65–70% |
| Days 26–27 | Hatch | Keets internally pip into the air cell, then externally pip the shell. Guinea shells are dense, so zipping can take longer and look like harder work than a chick's — resist the urge to help or to open the lid. | 100°F | 65–70% |
| Day 28 | Hatch | Most keets zip and hatch by day 28. Leave them in the incubator to dry and fluff for several hours before moving to a brooder. Keets are tiny and chill fast — the brooder should be warm (roughly 95°F to start) and draft-free before they go in. | 100°F | 65–70% |
How guinea incubation differs from chickens
The temperature and humidity targets are almost identical to chickens — Mississippi State University Extension lists 100°F forced-air and 102–103°F still-air for game birds including guineas — but the clock is longer. Guinea fowl run a 26–28 day cycle (most extension tables cite 28 days) versus 21 for chickens, and lockdown lands on day 25 rather than day 18.
The other big difference is the shell. Guinea eggs are small, pointed, and have a thick, hard, low-porosity shell. That shell holds moisture well (favoring a slightly drier run in humid climates) and makes for a tougher pip — a keet may take longer to break out than a chick, which is normal and not a reason to intervene.
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 100°F. Mississippi State University Extension's hatchery-management guide for game-bird owners specifies 100°F dry-bulb throughout guinea incubation.
A still-air incubator has no fan, so warm air layers near the top. Measure temperature at the top of the eggs and run 102–103°F there — MSU advises adding 2–3°F to the forced-air setting for still-air units. A still-air unit that reads 100°F at egg-top is actually running cold.
Humidity and the air cell
Run about 58–60% relative humidity (roughly 85–87°F wet-bulb) from setting until about three days before hatch, then raise it to 65% or more at lockdown — the figures Mississippi State Extension gives for game-bird incubation. The single best check is the air cell: candle and confirm it grows to about one-third of the egg by day 25. Because guinea shells lose water slowly, an air cell that stays too small means you should drop humidity; too large means raise it.
Calculate your hatch dates
Enter the date you set your guinea fowl 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 40–50% for guineas) through the incubation phase and relies on watching the air cell grow, then raising humidity hard at lockdown. Guinea shells are thick and lose moisture slowly, so hatchers in humid climates often find eggs hold too much water at the standard 58–60% and switch to a drier run.
- Whichever method you pick, the target is the air cell, not a fixed number: it should reach about a third of the egg by day 25. Candle and adjust to the air cell rather than chasing a humidity reading.
Shipped eggs
- Let shipped eggs rest large-end up for 8–24 hours before setting so scrambled air cells can re-settle.
- Guinea hatching eggs are seasonal (guineas lay mainly spring through late summer) and hatch rates on shipped eggs are often low — set more than you need and don't judge your incubator by a shipped batch.
- If air cells are wobbly or detached ('saddled'), incubate upright in an egg carton for the first week and hand-turn gently.
Common pitfalls
- Underestimating guinea shells — they are noticeably harder and thicker than chicken shells, so keets work longer to pip and zip. Late-looking hatches are normal; premature 'assisting' kills more keets than it saves.
- Chilling newly hatched keets. Keets are small and lose heat fast; a cool brooder or a draft is quickly fatal.
- Opening the incubator during lockdown, which drops humidity and can shrink-wrap a pipping keet.
- Trusting the incubator's built-in thermometer — calibrate against a known-good thermometer and hygrometer first.
- Turning past day 25, which interferes with the keet positioning to pip the air cell.
Frequently asked questions
- What temperature do I incubate guinea fowl eggs at?
- 100°F in a forced-air incubator, or 102–103°F measured at the top of the eggs in a still-air incubator.
- What day is lockdown for guinea fowl eggs?
- Day 25. Stop turning, raise humidity to 65% or more, open the vents further, and keep the incubator closed until the keets hatch around day 28.
- How long do guinea fowl eggs take to hatch?
- 26–28 days. Mississippi State Extension cites 28 days; some hatchers see keets start around day 26. Give stragglers an extra day or two, especially if the incubator ran slightly cool.
- What humidity do I need for hatching guinea fowl eggs?
- About 58–60% (85–87°F wet-bulb) through the incubation phase, then 65% or more from lockdown on day 25 through hatch. Use the air-cell size as your real guide — it should reach about a third of the egg by day 25. Guinea shells hold moisture well, so humid-climate hatchers often run drier.
- Why are guinea keets slower to hatch than chicks?
- Guinea eggs have a thick, hard, low-porosity shell, so keets take longer to pip and zip. A hatch that looks like hard work is normal — don't assist prematurely, and don't open the incubator during lockdown.
- Why did my guinea keets die soon after hatching?
- The most common cause is chilling. Keets are tiny and lose heat fast, so the brooder must be warm (around 95°F to start) and completely draft-free before they leave the incubator. Weak hatches also trace to inaccurate temperature, wrong humidity/air-cell size, or shipped eggs with damaged air cells.
Sources
- Hatchery Management Guide for Game Bird and Small Poultry Flock Owners — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)
- Important incubation factors — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)
- Incubation temperature requirements — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)