➡ Quail Hatch Along🥚

[Pennys Mama]

@Kiki
I set 12 Button eggs today! Local source.

I've got 25 duck eggs growing duckies too... just fyi.

 

[Phillisy]

I’m new to quail, and will be getting a dozen each of silver and celadon eggs sent to me next Monday

Unfortunately being in Canada I’m not spoilt for choice like everyone in the US able to purchase from places like James Marie and Myshire, but I did luck out and end up living somewhat near one of the breeders who got his silver and celadon laying stock from Perry Schofield when Perry stopped breeding last year (Perry is actually getting back into quail, and will be importing new colours from Germany as soon as he’s able, which is exciting because I live in the same area as him so I may be able to get some new colours from him!)

Any tips & tricks for incubating and caring for these little guys is very welcome.

 

[Phunktacular]

@Kiki

Wrapped up this hatch last night and moved the babies to the brooder.

Total count:
120 set
107 fertile
84 hatched

 

[Alwaysfowlplay]

I had to adjust my humidity so I decided to candle just 3 out of the 15 eggs. All 3 had good development and veining! So excited! My 2 year old tells them goodnight and good morning everyday and talks about the babies hatching.

 

[Ratchnick]

I put 55 myshires in the incubator on 3/19 at 4 pm. When do i go into lockdown? 4/2 at 4 pm?

 

[BullChick]

Lockdown is just a complicated way of telling you to stop messing with the eggs, and be sure the humidity is good. 4 on the second sounds right, but it’s not set in stone... it’s set in shell! Or set in incubator. Or under a broody.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I put 55 myshires in the incubator on 3/19 at 4 pm. When do i go into lockdown? 4/2 at 4 pm?

I would put them in lockdown tomorrow so they can orientate themselves for hatching. Even locking down 4 days before on hatch I had some quail pip in the wrong end.

 

[mdees88]

I put 55 myshires in the incubator on 3/19 at 4 pm. When do i go into lockdown? 4/2 at 4 pm?

Everyone probably does things a little bit different but if I set eggs in the afternoon of 3/19 then for me, day 1 is 3/20. Which means lock down is 4/2 (anytime on 4/2). That's just how I do it.... You don't need to be super precise though. Sometimes they hatch half a day or even a full day early or late. So you can lock down the night of 4/1, morning of 4/2, doesn't really matter much....

What have you been running your humidity at so far?

 

[Ratchnick]

My humidity gages are not calibrated but both are about 50% +- 5% i candeled yesyerday and the air cells looked small so im at about 30% hoping to dry them out a bit.

 

[mdees88]

My humidity gages are not calibrated but both are about 50% +- 5% i candeled yesyerday and the air cells looked small so im at about 30% hoping to dry them out a bit.

I used to incubate at 50 but I always had 1 or 2 curled toe or splayed leg chicks. I didn't check the air cells back then. This last time I incubated at 38% and the air cells still looked a tad bit small but I had zero curled toe or splayed leg chicks. I'm going to try 30% next time..... I still had very good hatch rates at 50 but a few more leg issues, so you should be good.