Can one raise quail without electricity?

[Chickety Charcoal]

I am researching quail and want to start my first flock of coturnix soon. Trying to decide between wire bottom cage or ground and looking into incubators. If anyone can suggest incubators they have had consistent success with, I'd appreciate it.

Which leads me to my main question: How does one raise quail without the help of an electrical incubator. If Coturnix don't set their eggs and it's not recommended to have a chicken set them because of disease, is it even possible to do without electricity? I would like to breed quail and in the long run if the power goes out- then what? Anyone have any experience they can share?

 

[Chicken-Farmer]

Power outages for a few hours won't effect your hatch. The incubator will slowly cool the eggs. In nature the hen will get off the eggs while she eats, during this time the eggs cool down.

As far as incubators I own three. I have a Brinsea Octagon 20 that is 12 years old and still going strong. My GQF sportsman is about as hands off an incubator as you can find. Set the eggs, fill the humidity bucket and wait for the eggs to hatch.

Chicken-Farmer

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

button quail will hatch and rear their own chicks....new world species(bobwhite, valley, gambel etc...) have been known to go broody in the correct conditions

 

[azelgin]

Which leads me to my main question: How does one raise quail without the help of an electrical incubator. If Coturnix don't set their eggs and it's not recommended to have a chicken set them because of disease, is it even possible to do without electricity? I would like to breed quail and in the long run if the power goes out- then what? Anyone have any experience they can share?

Our power grid is not the most reliable out where I am. I've had failures both while incubating and brooding chicks. My Incubator is a Hova-Bator 1588. It will work on 12 volts, so, I could use a standard auto battery, as backup. Last time there was an outage, I used the UPS from my computer. It had no problem powering the incubator for the 6 hours the electricity was off. For the brooder heat, I've used a small radiant propane heater. A little nerve wracking, but once I felt it was going to be safe, I left it going for about 4 hours.

 

[Chickety Charcoal]

My Incubator is a Hova-Bator 1588. It will work on 12 volts, so, I could use a standard auto battery, as backup.

I like the sound of that. I never thought of the possibility of using a car battery. The price seems right too. Is it true that you can't lower the temps below 102F? Seems like that wouldn't work for quail. Don't know what to believe with the reviews.

As far as incubators I own three. I have a Brinsea Octagon 20 that is 12 years old and still going strong. My GQF sportsman is about as hands off an incubator as you can find. Set the eggs, fill the humidity bucket and wait for the eggs to hatch.

Chicken-Farmer

The GQF is the stand up incubator? That's a little too much for my needs right now, but who knows in the future. The Brinsea Octagon is a little out of my price range.

button quail will hatch and rear their own chicks....new world species(bobwhite, valley, gambel etc...) have been known to go broody in the correct conditions

Can button quail be raised in proximity to coturnix? How are they for butchering in comparison to each other?

 

[Chickety Charcoal]

I am also considering this incubator Pro Series Circulated Air Incubator with Auto Egg Turner
Anyone have any pros/cons on it?

 

[azelgin]

I like the sound of that. I never thought of the possibility of using a car battery. The price seems right too. Is it true that you can't lower the temps below 102F? Seems like that wouldn't work for quail. Don't know what to believe with the reviews.

It must work for quail. The deal I got came with a turner, a flat of quail eggs and quail egg trays. I used the UPS for mine, as the turner is 110ac and I didn't want to hand turn.

 

[pkhunter]

I am also considering this incubator Pro Series Circulated Air Incubator with Auto Egg Turner
Anyone have any pros/cons on it?

You might want to check out incubator warehouse.com . I have the hovabator 1602N Advance option $125 Plus quail racks $12.50. It's a very nice set and up easy to run. I have 94 eggs in mine

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

Can button quail be raised in proximity to coturnix? How are they for butchering in comparison to each other?

Button are more of a novelty. Sure they lay eggs decently, and grow as fast as a coturnix but your lucky to get one nugget off them. You might be able to have a few pairs of buttons to hatch your coturnix eggs, that would eliminate electricity altogether. I usually take my coturnix out of the brooder at 2-3 weeks and put them in the garage with two adult hens for warmth. This worked even when it was below freezing. Its not recommended but it works great when you have eggs every two weeks hatching and only having one brooder

 

[Chickety Charcoal]

Button are more of a novelty. Sure they lay eggs decently, and grow as fast as a coturnix but your lucky to get one nugget off them. You might be able to have a few pairs of buttons to hatch your coturnix eggs, that would eliminate electricity altogether. I usually take my coturnix out of the brooder at 2-3 weeks and put them in the garage with two adult hens for warmth. This worked even when it was below freezing. Its not recommended but it works great when you have eggs every two weeks hatching and only having one brooder

Ah, I see. Those buttons are interesting. I would love to raise them but they need warmth all year and can't live outside? That could be an issue. I would need to raise them outside near the coturnix I think.