Guides 2 min read
It takes 28 days for a set egg to become a healthy poult. A closer look at temperature, humidity, turning and transfer.
Turkey eggs take roughly 28 days to hatch. Most of that time is spent in the setter, and the final days in the hatcher. Even a small deviation at any stage affects hatchability and poult quality.
Before setting
Eggs coming out of storage are brought up to room temperature gradually before they go into the setter. A cold egg placed straight into a warm machine "sweats", and that surface moisture makes it easier for microorganisms to pass through the shell.
Days 1–25: The setter
During this phase the machine is usually kept at around 37.5 °C with relative humidity of roughly 55–60%. Eggs are turned regularly, hourly in most machines, so the embryo doesn't stick to the shell membranes. They should be set with the pointed end down.
Candling
Eggs are usually candled within the first 7–10 days and again before transfer. Infertile eggs and early dead embryos are removed. Candling results also say a lot about the breeder flock and storage conditions.
Weight loss
As the embryo develops, the egg loses moisture. The usual target is around 11–13% weight loss by transfer. Too little loss means humidity is too high; too much means it is too low, and settings are adjusted accordingly.
Days 25–28: The hatcher
Around day 25 the eggs move to the hatcher, where there is no turning. Temperature is lowered slightly and humidity raised so the poults can break through the shell more easily. At pull, poults should be dry, active and have well-healed navels.
At Atmaca Hindicilik, we record and monitor each of these steps in our hatchery.
