The gestation period of a chicken is often referred to as the incubation period, which lasts about 21 days.
During this time, a fertilized egg is kept warm, allowing the embryo to develop into a chick. The process begins when a hen lays her eggs. If the eggs are fertilized by a rooster, the development can begin. The hen will instinctively sit on her eggs to keep them warm or, in some cases, a farmer may use an incubator to manage the temperature and humidity levels required for successful hatching.
Throughout the 21 days, the embryo goes through various stages of development, gradually forming into a chick. By the end of this period, the chick is fully developed and ready to hatch, typically breaking through the shell with its beak after using a small, temporary structure known as an egg tooth.
So, in summary, if you’re looking to hatch chicken eggs, you can expect around three weeks from the moment you start incubating them until the cute little chicks emerge!