Took the plunge

[DaveMorehouse]

I took the plunge and ordered the Little Giant with egg turner and quail rails. I also ordered 48 eggs.

From what I have read here I will need Starteena 30% protein game bird feed. My question - How much should I order? How much will a single Coturnix eat in six weeks?

Sorry to be a pest,
Dave

 

[feedman77]

I assume you ordered thru a farm store.

If it was me I would get 50 lbs. I keep mine on 28 percent gamebird all the time.

Some are going on 1.5 years old.

 

[feedman77]

For the incubator. There are several threads on here about it. Did you get the still or forced air.

A few tips.
Don't trust the readouts on the display have a separate thermometer and hydrometer.

Rotate the lid 180 degrees daily. Incubator known to have cold and hot spots.

Be very cautious of the temp probe it's attached to a plastic sheet. It is known to move with the eggs on the turner. Any movement with it will cause the temp to not be right and cause the bator to get hot. And it never resets to same spot after you open the lid.

I took mine off the plastic sheet and zip tied it to the wires in the lid. That way I could bend the probe to where I wanted under the heating element. Helped somewhat stabilize the temps.

Run low humidity during incubation. Don't follow the guide as they have way too much humidity recommended for incubation.

These bators are tricky but with small mods and a watchful eye you can get decent hatches.

Good luck with your new incubator and the eggs you have coming.

What type quail did you order?

 

[fourkidsandduck]

Run low humidity during incubation.

What humidity range would you suggest?

 

[feedman77]

Mine personally 20 to 35.

If I tried 40 to 50 I had a lot of fully formed but dead chicks.

It was a lot of trial and error til I found what gave me the best hatch rates.

 

[DaveMorehouse]

Quote:
Coturnix.

Thanks again, Feedman, for your great advice. I have had chickens for many years but always bought pullets. This will be my first attempt at incubating eggs and quail.