Day 13 of my first quail hatch

Hi everyone! I am hatching quail for my first time. I have hatched chickens before, but this is my first attempt at quail. I put 48 Coturnix quail eggs (these were shipped eggs, the packaging was EXCELLENT) in my incubator at 12:00am on April 15th. I have a styrofoam incubator in which I have installed an egg turner and a fan. I put small cups of water into the incubator to control humidity instead of using the water troughs, as I feel it's much easier to control this way.

ANYHOW... Since I last hatched chicken eggs I learned of the dry incubation method. My last chicken hatch was about 25%, but my humidity was super high and I suspect this was at least part of the culprit. I live at 8,000 feet elevation in the high cold mountains, and the relative humidity is typically about 25%. This current hatch I've been keeping the incubator at around 40% and my temp right about 99.5. I'm still relatively new to the hatching game, so I haven't gone so far as calibrating my thermometer and hygrometer, but I bought a pretty decent digital one and with the minor temperature fluctuations I just try to keep things averaged at about 99.5

I candled a few days ago, and pulled 7 clear eggs. As far as the rest of them go, I am pretty darn sure I see development, but the shells are just so tough to see through that it can be hard to tell. I'm pretty confident that there were only 7 clears, but I can't really make out any further difference at this point. If I have any quitters, I'm hoping they don't rot and blow up in my incubator. I've never had this happen before, but it scares me when I read about it happening to others. Does anybody have any hints or tricks for candling quail eggs?

I'm going into lockdown on day 16, which will be this Saturday. At that point I will take the eggs out of the turner and bump my humidity up to about 65%. I'm going to put a towel or something in the bottom of the bator, as I've read baby quail feet can get stuck in the wire mesh that comes with it. Do baby quail peep? Will I hear them in the eggs like you do with the chickens?

Anyway, I just wanted to get this thread going and see if anybody didn't have any advice or encouragement for me I'm hoping to re-establish a flock lost to a fox, and then hopefully hatch some more eggs! I love watching them hatch, and I'm really hoping to get some of these out of the shells!!!

I'm new to hatching quails to this is My second batch that I put in incubator I had 1 hatch in my first batch so I'm hoping more will hatch in this batch

What you've done so far looks good. A couple of things though. I use the rubber shelf liner over the wire mesh. Works good for keeping them out of the wire and it's pretty easy to clean.

I usually lock down on day 14-15. You may have some hatching on day 16.

When candling, you probably won't see anything other than a dark blob. I just let all dark blob eggs go to day 19.

Yes, baby quail peep. Although I've never heard them before hatching. They'll let you know when they're out. And once they are dry, they will run around like crazy. But don't take them out. You'll run the risk of shrink-wrapping any that haven't hatched yet.

Good luck with it. It's exciting when they start hatching because it goes pretty quickly.

Thank you for the advice!! I was thinking about maybe locking them down early. The end of today will be 14 days, I might do it tonight or tomorrow. I like the idea of a rubber matt instead of a towel, I'm going to try that out! Thanks again for your advice!!!!!

Alright, so with consideration to the comments and with a little further reading, I decided to pull the egg turner out today (Midnight tonight will be day 15). The 41 remaining eggs (I didn't even candle again because I already know I just can't see into the remainders) are now laying on a rubber drawer liner with a little space between each. I have bumped the humidity up to 65%, and the temperature remains constant right at about 99.9. I think I'm on the home stretch! Fingers are crossed!!

Good luck!

No action yet. Midnight last night marked 16 days. I suspect that if I get any to hatch, with will be within the next 48 hours or so! Come on little chicks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anything yet? I just had 18 hatch today... And a few left that are starting to pip tonight. This was my first time having quail... Boy are they ever tiny!!

The first one hatched last night while I slept! Today is the start of the 18th day, so I'm hoping for/expecting more action soon! You are not kidding, they are SO tiny! It's hilarious!!

Here is #1! Fingers are crossed for some more!!!!!!!