Coturnix Quail eggs

[Farmerman]

Can I get fertilized eggs even though it is winter? If so where? Ive got a heated room for them. I REALLY want to get this going before spring. I would prefer to get many breeds, from many sources eventually, but one breed from a single source is fine for now. Im mainly interested in the eggs, but meat as well. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[shelleyd2008]

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A lot of people keep lights on their birds to keep them producing in winter (not me though) so you shouldn't have any problems finding fertile eggs right now. There is only 1 breed of coturnix, that is the coturnix, but there are several varieties

 

[Farmerman]

Ok.... varieties then.....

Can they be shipped in the cold months?

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

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I refrain in the winter months because once the eggs freeze, they die. It gets cold up here in MI!!

 

[Farmerman]

okay.... thats what I was afraid of. I am hoping I don't have to wait for spring. anyone here in new mexico?

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

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Quail lady of fort myers has coturnix, and is in a warmer climate. I don't know how USPS hubs work, but they might make iit to you without being frozen. Cold is okay, good even, but not freezing.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I've had better hatches with coturnix in the winter than in the spring/summer on shipped eggs; they don't start developing in transit. Obviously you'd want to make sure your eggs don't come from an area that is very cold, but as long as they don't freeze they'll be okay. Heck, even if they do freeze, as long as they don't crack they'd be okay

 

[Farmerman]

Okay well hopefully she sees this then. I know when I ordered snails and clams recently they used some kind of heating pad. Using a bigger box, and blowing air into a bags and tieing them, or those packaging ones made for that, might offer enough cushion of air to keep them from freezing, I would guess. Im in northern new mexico so its cold here now to. the fish i got well into the cold weather were fine, and they were in water.

Like I was saying in spring, Im going to get different VARIETIES (

) from a bunch of sources, but if anyone thinks they can help me get this rolling now let me know. I will drive within the state depending on how far it is, if that is my only choice, but Id prefer not to. Im willing to take the risk on my end, if anyone will try to work with me, and try to pack them well. If its just keeping them from freezing and going the route of overnight mail, it sounds doable to me.

 

[Farmerman]

Look like I can order them on ebay.... anyone here ever do that? any drawbacks you can think of? Poor breeding perhaps?

 

[aprophet]

I was going to volunteer but you would be better off with Alex ( quail lady) she is further south then I am I am at the south end of the chesapeake bay it does not really get cold here mine just started laying again today they quit the last coupla days because of the blizzard