➡ Quail Hatch Along🥚

[BantyChooks]

I do staggered hatches every year, and for months in a row, at that. I just had one finish, actually. I have not found that it seems to hurt hatch rates. Note that if you do it frequently, you should be careful to keep the incubator cleaned out. I stick the eggs in my other incubator for a few hours while I clean it with a bleach solution and let it air out. I don't jack my humidity up very high, though; 50% at most. I do get it higher for chicken eggs because I see more signs of drying out. Those I do move to a lockdown incubator at times. (I'm not sure that said lockdown incubator isn't killing the eggs, though. I think I need to replace it.)

What are people’s thoughts on holding back some extra eggs that don’t fit in the incubator and swapping them in for any clears found on day 3? Too early to determine clears? Would the prolonged hatch time be annoying?

Just toying around with some ideas. Not sure what the fertility will be given much of the flock, including the rooster, are young.

Thanks!

 

[007Sean]

I do staggered hatches every year, and for months in a row, at that. I just had one finish, actually. I have not found that it seems to hurt hatch rates. Note that if you do it frequently, you should be careful to keep the incubator cleaned out. I stick the eggs in my other incubator for a few hours while I clean it with a bleach solution and let it air out. I don't jack my humidity up very high, though; 50% at most. I do get it higher for chicken eggs because I see more signs of drying out. Those I do move to a lockdown incubator at times. (I'm not sure that said lockdown incubator isn't killing the eggs, though. I think I need to replace it.)

You have alot of experince in doing staggered hatches. For someone who hasn't, I wouldn't recommend it unless no other option is available...it's just alot more work. I've done lots too but didn't like it...sometimes it was the only option though.

 

[BantyChooks]

You have alot of experince in doing staggered hatches. For someone who hasn't, I wouldn't recommend it unless no other option is available...it's just alot more work. I've done lots too but didn't like it...sometimes it was the only option though.

At one point I didn't have any experience with them either. <<shrugs>> I'm not recommending it either, but I'm not saying it's a bad idea, and I'm providing advice in case she wishes to do it.

 

[007Sean]

At one point I didn't have any experience with them either. <<shrugs>> I'm not recommending it either, but I'm not saying it's a bad idea, and I'm providing advice in case she wishes to do it.

Yep, we all started somewhere! I didn't start doing them until years later...this was back in the 'dark ages' still air incubators, wet/dry bulb thermometers...nothing like the 'plug and play' incubators today.
I think if you keep the humidity between 45 to 50% you'll be ok, with a staggered hatch but it does put more anxiety upon ya! or at least it does me. In the past, I had mixed results, sometimes good, sometimes not so much. I just never like doing it unless i had too!

 

[Kiki]

I pulled my Turner last night on day 12.

I also learned that my Turner motor provides about ten degrees towards heating my bator.

I've never pulled the turner this early...I want to see if it's going to hurt any.

I probably shouldn't be trying this experiment with shipped eggs but I want to know now.

 

[007Sean]

I pulled my Turner last night on day 12.

I also learned that my Turner motor provides about ten degrees towards heating my bator.

I've never pulled the turner this early...I want to see if it's going to hurt any.

I probably shouldn't be trying this experiment with shipped eggs but I want to know now.

Yeah, those little motors put out alot of heat. Good luck with you're hatch.

 

[Nabiki]

I'm up to 8 chicks now. Took the boots off of the one chick; the toes are fine now.

 

[Nabiki]

I had a mishap this morning. I was filling the narrow channel with water, and I put too much in so overflowed into the wide channel and soaked the paper towels I had under the eggs. I had to pull all of the eggs out and change the paper towel, and try to drain one of the channels. I almost dropped one egg when it moved in my hand!

Two hatched after that before I left for work, so I left them in the incubator. I hope the rest are okay!

 

[CindyinSD]

I had a mishap this morning. I was filling the narrow channel with water, and I put too much in so overflowed into the wide channel and soaked the paper towels I had under the eggs. I had to pull all of the eggs out and change the paper towel, and try to drain one of the channels. I almost dropped one egg when it moved in my hand!

Two hatched after that before I left for work, so I left them in the incubator. I hope the rest are okay!

I’ll bet you didn’t cause any harm at all. It’s important to do your best, but eggs don’t change temperature or humidity nearly as fast as the air around them. They may or may not hatch, but it’s hard to imagine your little adventure would impact your results by very much.

 

[muddy75]

@Texas Kiki july hatch totals 30 chicks......less than 20% hatch rate on shipped eggs......over 70% hatch rate on homegrowns........i’m candling and calling this hatch tonight if no more progress and I’m going to keep Sunday’s hatch in shed incubator to see if that makes a difference while I work on the older 1 in the house and see if I can start using it again for day 1-14! I “accidentally” won another auction yesterday 60 egg assortment was at 24 with an hour to go and so I got it at 26.....i can’t be too mad because that was a “steal” as usually includes colors from both standard and rare collections!!