Quail (Coturnix) Egg Incubation Schedule
Quail (Coturnix) eggs hatch 17 days after setting — candle on day 7 and day 12, start lockdown on day 14.
- Schedule
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- pick a set date to see your hatch schedule
The quail (coturnix) schedule, day by day
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0 | Set eggs in a pre-warmed, running incubator. Turning starts now. |
| 7 | Candle: pull clear (infertile) eggs and any showing a blood ring or stopped development. |
| 12 | Candle: pull clear (infertile) eggs and any showing a blood ring or stopped development. |
| 14 | Lockdown: stop turning, raise humidity to 65–70%, keep the lid closed. |
| 17 | Hatch day. Leave chicks in until fully dry and active. |
Incubation period per Mississippi State University Extension. Real hatches spread a day either side of the calendar — temperature is the usual reason.
What to know about hatching quail (coturnix) eggs
Coturnix quail run on the fastest clock in the backyard: 17–18 days from set to hatch. Everything happens quicker — lockdown lands on day 14 — and the chicks are tiny, so have a quail-size brooder ready before you set. (Bobwhite quail are different birds entirely at ~23 days.)
Whatever the species, lockdown is always the last three days: turning stops so the embryo can position for hatch, humidity goes up so shell membranes stay pliable, and the incubator stays shut — every peek drops the humidity your hatch depends on. Use the calculator above for exact dates from your set date, or the full Egg Incubation Calculator to compare species.