How to Incubate Turkey Eggs
The short version
| Incubation temp (forced-air) | 99.5–100°F (37.5–37.8°C) |
|---|---|
| Still-air temp (top of egg) | 101–102°F (38.3–38.9°C) |
| Humidity (days 1–lockdown) | 55–60% |
| Humidity (lockdown–hatch) | 65–70% |
| Total incubation | 28 days |
| Lockdown day | Day 25 |
| Candle around | day 10, 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 times a day (an odd number so they rest on alternate sides overnight), or use an autoturner. Turkey eggs are larger than chicken eggs, so make sure your turner and trays are sized for them. | 99.5–100°F | 55–60% |
| Days 8–14 | Candling | Keep turning and hold temperature steady. Candle around day 8–10 to confirm a spider-web of veins and a moving embryo, and remove clears (infertile) so they don't spoil. Turkey shells are thicker and more speckled than chicken shells, so use a bright candler and a darkened room. | 99.5–100°F | 55–60% |
| Days 15–24 | Incubation | Continue turning at least 3 times daily. The poult fills more of the egg each week and the air cell should be drawing down steadily. Top up water channels so humidity holds around 55–60% and watch the air-cell size rather than chasing a single humidity number. | 99.5–100°F | 55–60% |
| Day 25 | Lockdown | Stop turning — Mississippi State advises not turning after the 25th day. Lay eggs on their side, raise humidity to 65–70%, open the vents a little more for the extra oxygen a hatching poult needs, and keep the incubator closed. This is 'lockdown.' | 99.5–100°F | 65–70% |
| Days 26–27 | Hatch | Poults internally pip into the air cell, then externally pip the shell. Expect peeping and small cracks. Resist opening the lid — a humidity drop now can shrink-wrap poults working through the tougher turkey membrane. | 99.5–100°F | 65–70% |
| Day 28 | Hatch | Most poults 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 29–30, and large commercial-strain poults in particular may run a little late. | 99.5–100°F | 65–70% |
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. Penn State Extension specifies 99.5–100°F for the full 28 days; Mississippi State lists 99°F for turkeys in its incubation table. Any point in that band is safe.
A still-air incubator has no fan, so warm air layers near the top. Measure temperature at the top of the eggs and run 101–102°F there — Mississippi State advises adding 2–3°F to the forced-air figure for still-air units. A still-air incubator that reads 99.5°F at egg-top is actually running cold.
Humidity, turning, and the air cell
Run about 55–60% relative humidity for days 1–25 (Mississippi State expresses this as an 84–86°F wet-bulb reading), then raise it to 65–70% at lockdown. Turn the eggs at least three times a day until day 25 — Penn State notes eggs do not need turning for the last three days before hatch. As with any egg, the single best check is the air cell: candle and confirm it is growing toward about a third of the egg by lockdown, and adjust humidity to the air cell rather than to a fixed number.
Why turkeys take longer than chickens
Turkey eggs incubate for 28 days versus 21 for chickens, and everything on the schedule shifts back accordingly — lockdown lands on day 25 rather than day 18. The eggs themselves are larger, thicker-shelled, and more heavily speckled, so candling calls for a brighter light and a darker room. Poults also tend to be a little slower and more deliberate at pipping and zipping than chicks, which makes holding lockdown humidity and resisting the urge to open the lid especially important.
Calculate your hatch dates
Enter the date you set your turkey 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%) through the first 25 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 may need the standard 55–60%.
- Whichever method you pick, the target is the same: the air cell should reach about a third of the egg by day 25. Candle and adjust to the air cell, not to a fixed humidity number. Mississippi State expresses the incubation target as a wet-bulb reading of about 84–86°F (roughly 55–60% RH), rising to about 90°F wet-bulb at hatch.
Shipped eggs
- Let shipped eggs rest large-end up for 8–24 hours before setting so scrambled air cells can re-settle.
- Turkey eggs are large and thick-shelled but their air cells still jostle loose in transit; shipped eggs commonly hatch at only around 50% even when handled well. 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.
- Opening the incubator during lockdown, which drops humidity and can shrink-wrap a pipped poult inside the tough turkey membrane.
- Turning past day 25, which interferes with the poult positioning to pip the air cell.
- Forgetting to open the vents wider at lockdown — a full incubator of large turkey eggs needs more fresh air than the same box of chicken eggs.
Frequently asked questions
- What temperature do I incubate turkey eggs at?
- 99.5–100°F in a forced-air incubator, or 101–102°F measured at the top of the eggs in a still-air incubator.
- What day is lockdown for turkey eggs?
- Day 25. Stop turning, raise humidity to 65–70%, open the vents a little more, and keep the incubator closed until the poults hatch on day 28.
- How long do turkey eggs take to hatch?
- 28 days. A few poults may hatch on day 29–30, especially large commercial strains or if the incubator ran slightly cool.
- What humidity do I need for hatching turkey eggs?
- Around 55–60% for the first 25 days, then 65–70% from lockdown through hatch. Use the air-cell size as your real guide — it should reach about a third of the egg by day 25.
- How often should I turn turkey eggs?
- At least 3 times a day through day 25 (use an odd number so eggs rest on alternate sides overnight). Stop turning at lockdown — Penn State notes the last three days need no turning.
- When should I candle turkey eggs?
- Around day 8–10 to confirm veining and fertility, and again just before lockdown on day 25 to pull any clears or quitters. Turkey shells are thick and speckled, so use a bright candler in a dark room.
Sources
- Small-Flock Turkey Production (incubation period, temperature & turning) — Penn State Extension (University extension)
- Important incubation factors (turkey incubation table, humidity & lockdown) — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)
- Avian Embryology (day-by-day embryo development) — eXtension — Poultry (University extension)