New to quail first time hatcher

[Robert C R]

Nothing yet. Really starting to think I did something wrong. On Tuesday we are going to start over. That will be day 22. So way past the hatch date. I have 20 eggs that I have collected. All pass fertility tests. Letting them sit til Tuesday at room temp, turning alongside each other

 

[Robert C R]

So. Today was throw out day. Day 22. And low and behold they are hatching!!!!! Got 1 halfway out the egg and another egg is rocking around. I can see his pinhole. They are gonna be just fine

 

[pkhunter]

So. Today was throw out day. Day 22. And low and behold they are hatching!!!!! Got 1 halfway out the egg and another egg is rocking around. I can see his pinhole. They are gonna be just fine

If it took 22 days your temp is probably way to low. Might try another 1/2 degree on your next batch. 90% of mine hatch on day 16 & 17. I give mine till day 19 for the late ones. Anyway congrats on the hatch.

 

[RoostinOlaf]

That is great! I am so happy you did not give up on them!

Note, I forgot to ask what type of quail you have, and now thinking back on my first experience as a quail owner, I'm thinking you might not have coturnix ( those are the only quail that hatch in 16 to 18 days while the others take 21 to 24).

When I got on my idea of wanting quail for eggs, I read up on them, looked at pictures, and decided I wanted coturnix quail because they laid early, were friendly, and easy for a first time quail owner. I drove a ways to find them, and when I did, they were itty-bitty and looked like what I thought I remember in pictures I discovered online. I only got 6 of them and hoped majority would be female. After 8 weeks though, they were not laying eggs like I read they would. However, they were very nice to look at with their beautiful coat and confidant stance. By 12 weeks, they were super chunky and getting taller. I figured if they grew anymore, the pen I bought for them would be too small. As they got bigger, I gave away one...then another, as the ratio of six in the cage and run I made did not seem sufficient for them. By five months I was down to three birds and still no eggs! After I got rid of the remaining quail when they were around six months of age, I found six eggs when cleaning and taking down their coop. I gave incubation a shot. It took 23 days for those six eggs to hatch. The family was super excited as we never had anything born or hatch in home before.

Perhaps you have a different type of quail? What color are their eggs? Do you have pictures?

 

[Robert C R]

I have pictures. Will post following this bit of sad news.. So of the eggs I set only 3 hatched. I have recently been doing a lot of research and found out it is my fault for the poor ratio, as I incubated my quails first eggs they laid. This is a bad idea according to a lot I have read, now of,the 3 they where all deformed or doa the deformed one it broke my heart but I had to euthanize it. It's beak was crooked and it had a red "sac" on its head. It could not stand all it did was chirp and roll around. It seemed in pain as it would try to stand fall over and make a pitiful sound. I thought it best to end it for its own sake. I know have 30 perfect eggs and I bought a new incubator, we are going to set 20 in the new incubator, and 10 in the one I made, I know,the one I made works as it has hatched these. Just got to turn more and lower the humidity. The temp for duration of hatch was 99.3-100.1 so the range is perfect. The humidity however as it was my first time was at a whopping 80% for,the duration.

 

[Robert C R]

 

[Robert C R]

As far as i am told, I have Texas a&am, jumbo Browns, and tamarans or however they are called

 

[pkhunter]

What kind of incubator did you buy?

 

[Robert C R]

Giant still air with egg turner.

 

[Robert C R]

So. Funny story. My wife said we need to wait to throw out the eggs because unbeknown de to me she had added more eggs about a week after the original eggs where put in. This is how I got to 22 days. Now for the good news. Had one hatch last night unexpectedly as I thought we went into lockdown about 2 days early since she added the new eggs. Had a happy healthy little baby hatch and is running around the brooder. Eating drinking and pecking everything it can. Just wanted to share this since the last experience wasn't as nice. So ya. The temps,where right. The humidity can come down next hatch. But overall with fertile eggs we did good. I will post a pic once I can. Happy times