Hatching an ostrich egg is nothing like incubating chicken or quail eggs. These giant eggs (weighing up to 3 pounds each) demand precision, patience, and perfect conditions. With ostrich farming gaining popularity across Africa, the Middle East, and even the U.S., learning the day-by-day development process is critical for hatchery success.
This guide breaks down the entire 42–46 day ostrich hatching cycle — step-by-step — while integrating expert insight, and hands-on advice for farmers.
📆 Day-by-Day Ostrich Egg Hatching Cycle (Days 0–46)
📦 Day 0: Egg Collection & Selection
✅ ostrich egg selection, fertile ostrich eggs, egg weight for incubation
- Choose only clean, crack-free, heavy eggs.
- Ideal weight: 1.2 to 1.6 kg.
- Candle for fertility if available.
- Don’t wash eggs unless necessary; use dry sanitization.
🔍 Day 1–2: Pre-Incubation Storage & Rest
✅ pre-incubation rest, egg orientation, humidity control
- Let eggs rest upright with air sac up for 12–24 hours.
- Store at 16–18°C (60–64°F) with 60% RH.
- This stabilizes internal temperature and prevents shock.
♨️ Day 3–7: Early Development
✅ ostrich embryo development, humidity, turning frequency
- Incubation begins! Temp: 36.2–36.5°C (97.2–97.7°F).
- Humidity: 25–35% RH (low compared to chickens).
- Turn eggs every 1.5–2 hours.
- Blood vessels begin to form — candle around Day 7.
🩸 Day 8–14: Blood Ring or Growth?
✅ candling ostrich eggs, identifying infertile eggs, egg rotation
- By Day 10, viable eggs will show a strong network of veins.
- Infertile eggs: “blood ring” or cloudy yolk — remove.
- Maintain daily turning and stable humidity.
💓 Day 15–21: Heartbeat & Structure
✅ ostrich chick heartbeat, embryo growth, egg air cell monitoring
- Chick’s heartbeat is now detectable.
- Legs, beak, and eyes form.
- Weigh eggs weekly — 0.3% daily weight loss is ideal.
🌡️ Day 22–28: Internal Adjustments
✅ egg weight loss, air sac tracking, temperature correction
- Adjust temperature if weight loss is too slow.
- Air sac should grow steadily — candle every 5 days.
- Rotate slightly off center to mimic natural brooding.
🐣 Day 29–35: Pre-Pipping Phase
✅ chick positioning, air cell check, hatching temperature
- Chick moves into hatching position by Day 34.
- Don’t rotate after Day 35.
- Monitor air cell depth — critical for successful pipping.
🕳️ Day 36–39: Internal Pipping Begins
✅ internal pip signs, air cell breathing, oxygen levels
- Chick breaks into the air sac — internal pip.
- Slight peeping noises may be heard.
- Humidity should be increased to 40–45% RH.
🐥 Day 40–46: External Pipping and Hatch
✅ external pip, chick emergence, assisting hatch
- Chick starts external pip by Day 42.
- Full hatch can take up to 3 days — do not rush!
- Only assist if absolutely necessary (after 48+ hours of struggle).
📉 Common Ostrich Egg Hatching Problems (and How to Fix Them) 🛠️
❌ Too Much Humidity
- Causes drowning in-shell.
- Reduce RH to 25–30% early.
❌ Temperature Fluctuation
- Leads to malformed chicks.
- Invest in a digital thermostat + backup.
❌ Turning Errors
- Skipping turns causes embryonic death.
- Use auto-turners or alarms.
❌ Weak Air Cell
- Air cell too small = chick can't pip.
- Adjust incubation time or temp to promote proper cell growth.
🔄 Weekly Ostrich Egg Incubation Checklist 🗓️
| Week | Task | Ideal Setting |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collect, rest, incubate, begin turning | 36.5°C, 30% RH, turn every 2 hrs |
| 2 | Candle, remove infertile eggs | Weight loss check, air cell forming |
| 3 | Increase observation | Check heartbeat, embryo movement |
| 4 | Stop turning (Day 35), increase humidity | Candle air cell daily |
| 5–6 | Monitor pip, wait for hatch | Assist only after 48 hrs struggle |
⚠️ Common Issues & Solutions by Stage
- Early mortality (Days 0–10): usually due to temperature fluctuation or poor egg storage.
- Middle-stage losses (Days 11–30): often inadequate turning, poor ventilation, or wrong humidity affecting air-cell growth.
- Late-stage shrink-wrap deaths: humidity too low during Days 31–40—adjust to prevent membrane dehydration.
- Oedematous chicks: indicate inadequate weight loss (<9 %) during incubation. Increase incubation weight loss by lowering humidity
- Malposition (& pip failure): ensuring timely stopping of turning (Day 30) and correct orientation is key.
⚖️ Key Metrics & Success Rates
| Metric | Target/Range |
|---|---|
| Incubation Duration | 42 ± 2 days |
| Temperature Range | 36.2–36.6 °C |
| Early Humidity (Day 1–30) | 25–30 % RH |
| Late Humidity (Day 31–Pip) | 40–45 % RH |
| Weight Loss Target | ~15 % total (0.30 %/day) |
| Typical Hatchability (fertile eggs) | 50–60 % |
| Best Possible Hatch Rate | Up to ~70 % with optimized systems |
Scientific studies show embryo size and eye growth follow approximate linear doubling weekly until Day 35; eye diameter reaches ~16.2 mm by Day 28; beak grows continuously until hatch.
🐤 Post-Hatch Care of Ostrich Chicks
🌬️ Drying & Warming
- Keep chicks in a hatcher for 12–24 hours.
- Move to brooder with 30°C ambient temp.
🍼 First Feed
- Offer water + vitamins first.
- Introduce starter feed after 12–18 hours.
🧼 Sanitation
- Clean incubators thoroughly between cycles.
- Use mild disinfectants — no chlorine.
🌍 Global Ostrich Hatch Rate Benchmarks
| Country | Avg. Hatch Rate | Top Producers |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 70–80% | Oudtshoorn, Eastern Cape |
| Iran | 55–65% | Isfahan, Yazd |
| USA | 60–70% | Texas, Arizona |
| Pakistan | 45–60% | Punjab, Sindh |
🧠 Pro Tips for Maximum Hatch Success
- ✅ Use a digital scale for weekly egg tracking.
- ✅ Avoid opening the incubator too often.
- ✅ Invest in a humidity controller.
- ✅ Hatch in darkness to reduce stress on chicks.
- ✅ Record data for every hatch to improve results.
⚙️ Incubation Conditions Overview
Stage Temp (°C) Humidity (%) Action Day 1–30 36.0–36.5 20–25 Daily turning Day 30–37 36.0 30–35 Stop turning Day 37–Hatch 36.0 45–50 Monitor pipping
| Stage | Temp (°C) | Humidity (%) | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1–30 | 36.0–36.5 | 20–25 | Daily turning |
| Day 30–37 | 36.0 | 30–35 | Stop turning |
| Day 37–Hatch | 36.0 | 45–50 | Monitor pipping |
❓ Most FAQs About Ostrich Egg Hatching 🧩
Q1. How many days does an ostrich egg take to hatch?
A: 42 to 46 days on average, depending on conditions.
Q2. Can I hatch ostrich eggs at home?
A: Yes, with a reliable incubator, thermometer, hygrometer, and daily monitoring.
Q3. What temperature is best for ostrich eggs?
A: Between 36.2–36.5°C (97.2–97.7°F) with low humidity early on.
Q4. How much weight should an ostrich egg lose during incubation?
A: About 0.3% of its weight per day, totaling 12–15% by hatch day.
5. When should I stop turning the eggs?
A: After Day 35 — to allow chick to position for hatching.
Q6: How to care post-hatch?
A: Dry chicks in hatcher 12–24 hrs, iodine navel treatment, start brooding with proper temperature and feed.Q7. Can I candle ostrich eggs?
A: Yes! Use a strong light to check embryo growth starting from Day 5.
Q8. Why do ostrich eggs fail to hatch?
A: Common causes include improper turning, wrong temperature, shrink-wrap due to low humidity, or infections.
Q9: Ideal incubator specs for ostrich eggs?
A: 35-lb capacity, auto-turn, accurate humidity control with dehumidifier recommendedQ10: Why hatch rates lower than chickens?
A: Large egg size, shell thickness, environmental sensitivity—typical rates ~50–60% .
Q11: Need for navel iodine?
A: Yes—treat naval area with iodine after hatching and at day 3 to prevent infections .Q12: Is manual turning essential?
A: Yes, until day 39—8–10 turns/day prevent embryo from sticking.
Q13: When can chicks eat?
A: Start feed from day 2–3 using high-fiber, low-protein rations✅ Final Thoughts: Hatching Ostrich Eggs is an Investment in Precision
Every day in the incubation of an ostrich egg reveals a critical developmental milestone—from blastoderm division to pulmonary transition during internal pipping. Success hinges on precise weight loss, exact humidity control, disciplined turning, and timely position fixes.
By adopting data‑driven methods, such as daily weighing and logging environmental conditions, you empower your hatchery with reproducibility, consistency, and higher survival rates. Let your hatch data guide adjustments season to season—this is what transforms hobby incubation into professional operation.