➡ Quail Hatch Along🥚

[Clearwater Chicken]

Never trust the thermometer that comes with your incubator. I have three incubators and none of them show the correct temp.

Learn where the warm and cool spots are (I used three calibrated thermometers to find mine). Learn how even it keeps the temperature (Do you have to turn the temp up at night? Do you need to wrap towels around it?). Learn how well it holds humidity. I use a cigar hygrometer.

Stuff like that.

thanks for that. I already know were a cool spot is, in my last hatch i had about a dozen eggs that would've hatched 3-4 days late, except i opened the incubator too much.

 

[Kiki]

One the one that came with the incubator it reads 99.6 most of the time. humidity at a steady 49% never drops that humidity. But all my eggs are growing and look fine i have only lost one

Only ONE.
Eeekkkk
Get more and calibrate them.
Same with the humidity gauge....you have no idea if it's reading off.
Salt test it after this hatch.

 

[Kiki]

What do you mean?

Do you know where your hot spots are?
Do you know what happens to your humidity level when you open the lid?

 

[Kiki]

What do you mean?

What incubator do you have?

 

[Kiki]

I usually let my shipped eggs (chickens and geese) sit for 12-24, because it’s quite cold here still and I don’t want want them to start to sweat. It does feel quite long, but I’m impatient .
Is settling time different with quail eggs?

Ummm... I guess normal people let eggs rest after shipping but I do not.
I open the box and they go straight into the incubator.

 

[muddy75]

I usually let my shipped eggs (chickens and geese) sit for 12-24, because it’s quite cold here still and I don’t want want them to start to sweat. It does feel quite long, but I’m impatient .
Is settling time different with quail eggs?

@Kiki is very impatient!! but with wonky air cells, I have seen/heard that maybe set upright if possible and wait to start turner for first couple days?? you don’t necessarily have to wait a full 12-24 hours, but should definitely let warm to room temp prior to setting....... @BantyChooks or others may be able to better advise with air cell issue

 

[Clearwater Chicken]

Only ONE.
Eeekkkk
Get more and calibrate them.
Same with the humidity gauge....you have no idea if it's reading off.
Salt test it after this hatch.

Salt test? I also know why it is so high, i have 2 fish tanks that evaporate like a pint a day.

What incubator do you have?

a little giant incubator.

 

[Phillisy]

I suppose I should check before I start, how do most of you handle your shipped eggs?

I had planned on not turning them for 24hrs, temp 99.5 and humidity 35-45% like usual, but I’m still not sure if I should put them on their side and hand turn, on the rollers, or on end in the turner. The cells aren’t terrible. Too many options!

 

[Kiki]

thanks for that. I already know were a cool spot is, in my last hatch i had about a dozen eggs that would've hatched 3-4 days late, except i opened the incubator too much.

How much is too much?

 

[Kiki]

Salt test? I also know why it is so high, i have 2 fish tanks that evaporate like a pint a day.


a little giant incubator.

No... I don't think you're understanding.
Your humidity gauge could be reading wrong.
If you haven't tested it then you have no idea just how off it is currently reading.
I wouldn't trust that it's reading correctly right now unless you salt test it.
I have four thermometers in my incubator right now and I just bought a new one today.
The new one I bought today is reading four degrees off.
4° too high.

So if I trusted this brand new thermometer then I would have my incubator running too hot.
Does that make sense?

You cannot trust that your thermometer and humidity gauge are reading correctly unless you test/calibrate them.

it took me a while to understand that brand new things could read wrong but they do.