When do I stop turning rhea eggs?

Oregon State's bulletin says to move rhea eggs to a separate hatcher three to five days before they are due, and not to turn them after that. On a 40-day calendar that is about day 36.

What temperature and humidity do rhea eggs need?

Oregon State's bulletin gives a temperature of around 96.5°F and 40 to 55 percent relative humidity, with most growers near 45 percent. It also warns that advice for these birds varies a lot from grower to grower, so treat the numbers as a starting point.

Free tool

Rhea egg incubation calculator

Rhea eggs hatch in 36 to 44 days; plan on day 40. Enter the day you set them and get the whole hatch on a timeline, with the incubator settings and the source behind every number.

Date eggs were set

Rheas sit between ostriches and emus: 40 days by the Merck Veterinary Manual, 36 to 44 by Oregon State.

0
Set eggsTue, October 6, 2026
Eggs go in the incubator. Begin turning (or confirm the auto-turner is on).
36
LockdownWed, November 11, 2026
Stop turning, raise humidity, and keep the incubator closed until hatch.
40
Hatch daySun, November 15, 2026
Pips and zips! Sources put this hatch anywhere from day 36 to day 44. Leave the chicks in until fluffy and dry.
Hatch window: Wed, Nov 11 to Thu, Nov 19

Downloads a .ics file that works with Apple, Google, and Outlook calendars.

How long do rhea eggs take to hatch?

It depends on who you ask, which is why the calculator shows a window (day 36 to day 44) around its planning day of 40. Here is what each reference prints.

Source	Days to hatch	Applies to
Pacific Northwest Extension (Oregon State University)	36–44	Rhea
Merck Veterinary Manual	40	Rhea

Incubator settings for rhea eggs

Temperature: around 96.5°F forced-air
Humidity: 40–55% (growers usually run about 45%)
Stop turning: 3 to 5 days before the eggs are due (day 36 on this calendar)

These come from Oregon State's ratite bulletin, which is candid that little formal research exists and most of what is known comes from growers. It suggests weighing the eggs weekly: they need to lose 10 to 18 percent of their weight by hatch.

Hatching something else?

Common questions

How long do rhea eggs take to hatch?: Plan on 40 days, and be ready from day 36 to day 44. Oregon State says 36 to 44 and Merck Vet Manual says 40.
When do I stop turning rhea eggs?: Oregon State's bulletin says to move rhea eggs to a separate hatcher three to five days before they are due, and not to turn them after that. On a 40-day calendar that is about day 36.
What temperature and humidity do rhea eggs need?: Oregon State's bulletin gives a temperature of around 96.5°F and 40 to 55 percent relative humidity, with most growers near 45 percent. It also warns that advice for these birds varies a lot from grower to grower, so treat the numbers as a starting point.

Where these numbers come from

Raising Ratites: Ostriches, Emu, and Rheas (PNW 494). James C. Hermes, Pacific Northwest Extension (Oregon State University). July 1996.
Reproduction of Ratites. Thomas N. Tully, Jr., DVM, Merck Veterinary Manual. Reviewed July 2021.

We read each document ourselves and last checked this page against them on October 5, 2026. Where they disagree, we show you the disagreement instead of picking a winner quietly.

Get a nudge on lockdown day

Log the hatch in PoultryPal and it counts down with you, then records how many chicks hatched and your hatch rate. Premium adds lockdown and hatch-day reminders. Free to download on iOS and Android.