Another really poor quail hatch

[Ricky047]

Hi all

I'm very new to this whole thing .

I have tried to hatch Japanese quail twice now

Both times I set 36 eggs from a good source

I'm using a hobavator to incubate and hatch.

On my first attempt I manually turned the eggs and kept the temp to 37.5 humidity around 50

Nothing hatched to day 18 when 5 came out 2 died within the first day. Several more hatched after that but never got to their feet.

I thought maybe my cheap humidity/temperature gauge was faulty

So I tried again bought an auto egg turner and better gauge stopped after day 14 loads pipped by day 16 almost all. Only 5 hatch all doing well but the rest are all dead in she'll after pipping. Humidity was around 60 then up to 75/80 after day 14

I'm gutted and lost where to go from here I'm starting to doubt the incubator/gauges and my abilitys

Please help

 

[laseterlass]

I had beginners luck 8 out of 9 hatched. My little giant was all over the place. from 95 to l04. I just kept a wet sponge in there and the gutter full and turned them 3 to 5 times a day. The ninth egg was infertile. We popped it open. I read about fertility rates and that may have something to do with it. Coturnix are really only fertile the first year Mine are only 3 or 4 months old. The more hens in with a roo counts against fertility. I have a trio two hens one roo. I was told to leave them in the bator for at least 12 hours after they hatched. I mostly complied with this. At least 1 cheeper was in there at all times till the hatch was over. I doubt I will be able to do this again so well.

 

[Peacerose]

Where did you get your eggs? If you had them mailed to you, the low hatch could be related to the high temperatures we are having. Or they could have experienced an extra rough ride.

Also, what about your vent holes in the incubator. There are some along the bottom edge and them some on the top. As air goes out the top, it draws in fresh air for your eggs from the bottom. Be sure some of your top vent holes are open so this process can take place.

Put your thermometer on top of the eggs. I am using two in my hova-bator: the regular one that came with it and an battery operated thermometer/hygrometer that I bought in the reptile section of the pet store. Your temp will be all over the place, but should stay between 98 and 102. I try to have mine around 100. Take your reading before you open, not after. Don't fiddle with your thermostat. Find a setting you like and leave it there.

 

[Peacerose]

So basically, if your temperature and humidity are okay and eggs are turned -- stopping 3 days before hatch date, it's not you, it's the eggs.

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Dead in shell chicks are usually from too much moisture or not enough moisture during the final stages of incubation. Since you said they did pip, you can exclude lack of moisture, as this would happen only if the chick could not reach the air cell. It may be that you had too much moisture in your incubator or simply that the chicks are too large. As Peacerose said, open the vents during the last 3 days of incubation so that the moisture has somewhere to go.