2015 COTURNIX QUAIL THREAD!!!!!!

[RenvsKat]

Have you heard of Coturnix having success with raising chicks on their own? I have heard they don't but have a free range hen who is actually sitting and i'm not sure if I should pull the eggs and finish in an incubator or let her try her stuff. Any advice?

 

[Nksg75]

What about the humidity? What is everyones opinion on the humidity level at the beginning?

 

[Fat Daddy]

Hi,
I have a lot of questions, and I hope someone can give me advice.
After one failed chicken egg hatch from a hot water heater thermostat in a styrofoam incubator, I built my own incubator after watching rush lane poultry on u tube. It's the cooler with a pc fan and wafer thermostat.
I ordered 40 jumbo cortinux quail eggs from eBay. I let them sit overnight then set them in the incubator.
This is the first batch of eggs I Have in the new incubator.
After reading article after article about the humidity for quail before and after lockdown, I am more confused now. So many people claim that they have great success both ways. Of course I realize the eggs need more humidity during lockdown, however for someone like myself, I only have 2 of the cheaply humidity gauges found at pet store and walmart. I am not sure if people are gauging the humidity from high tech devices, or as some people say "when the windows fog up, then your humidity is fine".
Also, long story short, the eggs arrived same day as the darn wafer thermostat. Even though the wafer was ordered 2 weeks before the eggs... Arrgh! (Darn postal service!)
Anyway, I thought I had the thing(wafer) set to a perfect temp, then it spikes up. This is before the eggs were in. I kept turning the silly thing, yet still have not mastered which way to turn to lower temp. Does anyone else have trouble with these wafer thermostats. They seem so finicky. I have been able to get the temp to not go above 101, however I would like it to be 100. I am afraid that the minute I fiddle with it, it may cook those eggs with a major spike.
If someone could help me I would apprieciate it. Any personal experiences that helped you would be appreciated.
Thanks

Good morning, The wafer thermos are generally very dependable. Turn the screw counter clockwise for warmer, clockwise for cooler. only move it about a 1/4 or 1/3 of a turn at a time till you figure out how much it changes the temp..... Mine usually run about 1/2 turn per degree of change. but this will vary greatly from bator to bator because of differences in insulation and venting. Learn how to drive it with the vents open.... Shoot for a incubation humidity target of 45% for the first 14-15 days. then bump to 65%. If you candle the eggs before you set start. You can take notice or even a cell phone pic of the air cell. Just a good pic of one egg will do fine. Mark this egg. Then when you candle at ten days, take a second pic of the same egg's air cell. It should have grown some.... This is a must for the chick to survive the hatching process. This monitoring will give you a idea of what is working for your bator and humidity level. If the humidity is too high, the cell is too small,and the chick will not survive to pip thru the outer shell. If humidity is low, the air cell too large it will restrict the chick's movement and it will shrink wrap shortly after pipping.... With the wafer thermo you will notice a slight creep with every weather front that moves thru. They are effected by barometric pressure. Dont try to chase it too much you'll drive yourself crazy. Just keep a eye on it and dont let it swing much more than a degree or so.... first thing you know you'll have 3 therometers in the same bator and all reading a different temp! Good luck and enjoy it, hatching is the best part of the hobby! Bill


EDIT TO ADD: The windows fogging up on the bator should only happen at lock down and I see it at 65 to 70 %

 

[Gentry1350]

Good morning, The wafer thermos are generally very dependable. Turn the screw counter clockwise for warmer, clockwise for cooler. only move it about a 1/4 or 1/3 of a turn at a time till you figure out how much it changes the temp..... Mine usually run about 1/2 turn per degree of change. but this will vary greatly from bator to bator because of differences in insulation and venting. Learn how to drive it with the vents open.... Shoot for a incubation humidity target of 45% for the first 14-15 days. then bump to 65%. If you candle the eggs before you set start. You can take notice or even a cell phone pic of the air cell. Just a good pic of one egg will do fine. Mark this egg. Then when you candle at ten days, take a second pic of the same egg's air cell. It should have grown some.... This is a must for the chick to survive the hatching process. This monitoring will give you a idea of what is working for your bator and humidity level. If the humidity is too high, the cell is too small,and the chick will not survive to pip thru the outer shell. If humidity is low, the air cell too large it will restrict the chick's movement and it will shrink wrap shortly after pipping.... With the wafer thermo you will notice a slight creep with every weather front that moves thru. They are effected by barometric pressure. Dont try to chase it too much you'll drive yourself crazy. Just keep a eye on it and dont let it swing much more than a degree or so.... first thing you know you'll have 3 therometers in the same bator and all reading a different temp! Good luck and enjoy it, hatching is the best part of the hobby! Bill


EDIT TO ADD: The windows fogging up on the bator should only happen at lock down and I see it at 65 to 70 %

Thanks for the explanation about the barometric pressure from storms...makes sense (caused my water to break three weeks early last year

). Now I understand why my bator sometimes has sudden "random" temp swings...crazy TN weather!

 

[dutchlion]

when do i need to lockdown for quail eggs?

 

[Jaybird14]

when do i need to lockdown for quail eggs?

I just did mine at 14 days and they are hatching late on the 15th day and today at 16.

 

[dutchlion]

I have had 3 quail hatch... So far... Now what?!?! Do they need a special feed? What do I need to know about quail that is different from chicken?

 

[Gentry1350]

I have had 3 quail hatch... So far... Now what?!?! Do they need a special feed? What do I need to know about quail that is different from chicken?

This is a good start:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/102281/coturnix-quail-basics-information-and-pictures-galore

 

[Gentry1350]

I have had 3 quail hatch... So far... Now what?!?! Do they need a special feed? What do I need to know about quail that is different from chicken?

Chicks need 30% protein game bird starter, ideally. Adults, about 24% protein. Some people use turkey starter if they can't find anything else...non-medicated.

Based on your question, I'm wondering if you have chickens now? If so, keep them away from your chickens! Chickens carry diseases that do not affect the chicken, but is lethal to quail.

 

[dutchlion]

We have 3 pens of chickens. How close could the quail live to the chickens... We have a separate coop and run for the quail. But how far should it ve from the chickens... Also our chickens free range should we be taking precautions?