Are my eggs too old?? Hatching storebought duck and quail eggs...

[AmeliaBedelia]

Mulan brand out of Chicago. I should have known, they are most likely a big operation that has no time for males in with all the layers. Or perhaps the fertilized ovum were more than 2 weeks old?

Yeah, could be for sure. Even smaller backyard breeders seem to often keep their meat, egg, and breeders in separate pens. I may try the experiment though, and want to use a different brand if I do! It may or may not happen, but if so I can tell you if I find a brand that works. I think I’ve seen Manchester Farms and Plantation Quail around here. Manchester Farms is in SC - maybe they supply Kentucky stores? Looked like they are cage-free as well, which seems to increase the chances of “oopsy roosters.”

Have you checked ebay or etsy? Shipped eggs don’t hatch as well, but a 50% or so rate wouldn’t be awful. Would hopefully get you started with a small breeding group.

 

[WhistlePig]

Yeah, could be for sure. Even smaller backyard breeders seem to often keep their meat, egg, and breeders in separate pens. I may try the experiment though, and want to use a different brand if I do! It may or may not happen, but if so I can tell you if I find a brand that works. I think I’ve seen Manchester Farms and Plantation Quail around here. Manchester Farms is in SC - maybe they supply Kentucky stores? Looked like they are cage-free as well, which seems to increase the chances of “oopsy roosters.”

Have you checked ebay or etsy? Shipped eggs don’t hatch as well, but a 50% or so rate wouldn’t be awful. Would hopefully get you started with a small breeding group.

If you do try it out, I'd love to hear the results! I have looked periodically on ebay but not etsy yet. It's hard to tell which is the best deal/quality without trying so I've been holding out.

Mostly I'm hoping I can drive to buy quail eggs in my area sometime via Craigslist but if I get desperate I'll definitely order some.

I would have been happy if even 2 hatched out of the 18 eggs I put in the 'bator this time so 50% would be a dream!

 

[Iluveggers]

Yeah, Kentucky is a little too far to drive, she’s not in NY but just as far from you!

If you really want quail eggs, Meyer Hatchery ships them. I hatched chicken eggs from them last year and got over half to hatch which is great for shipped eggs!

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

So Manchester Farms sells their eggs at Publix stores. Looks like they are just starting to open locations in Kentucky, but they have a bunch in Tennessee if you’re close to the border.

In the Manchester farms youtube video, definitely saw male and female quail together in some of the shots, and it looks like they raise them in large open barns (unless there are secret layer cages they don’t show anyone, separate from their breeding group.) But the $7 or so for 15 eggs would be cheaper I’d think than a Meyer order if you are pretty close to a Publix and want to give it a try? Or I may, but later in the spring.

 

[WhistlePig]

Yeah, Kentucky is a little too far to drive, she’s not in NY but just as far from you!

If you really want quail eggs, Meyer Hatchery ships them. I hatched chicken eggs from them last year and got over half to hatch which is great for shipped eggs!

Well thanks for the offer anyway! I will look into hatching eggs. I'm looking at incubators right now, the one I am using is borrowed.

 

[WhistlePig]

So Manchester Farms sells their eggs at Publix stores. Looks like they are just starting to open locations in Kentucky, but they have a bunch in Tennessee if you’re close to the border.

In the Manchester farms youtube video, definitely saw male and female quail together in some of the shots, and it looks like they raise them in large open barns (unless there are secret layer cages they don’t show anyone, separate from their breeding group.) But the $7 or so for 15 eggs would be cheaper I’d think than a Meyer order if you are pretty close to a Publix and want to give it a try? Or I may, but later in the spring.

Thank you for doing all that research!! That is super helpful Nice to know they may be fertilized, it will be another experiment for sure. I will look up Publix locations maybe when I get an incubator of my own here soon.

I have several irons in the fire regarding baby birds so will need to prepare and plan for later this year to do quail. Not having these eggs develop helped me to realize it would be best to do it later!

 

[Wonder Quails]

@WhistlePig , I think the brand that you bought the quail eggs from are fertilized. I've successfully hatched quail eggs from that brand I think.

 

[WhistlePig]

@WhistlePig , I think the brand that you bought the quail eggs from are fertilized. I've successfully hatched quail eggs from that brand I think.

Well that's cool! I really couldn't see the ovum properly and assumed they were unfertilized. I guess they were past their 2 week window for viability? Makes sense, the sell by date is April so a few weeks past is likely.

 

[Wonder Quails]

If a/n egg is stored too long in the freezer(or without), it will have less likely chance of hatching. I've bought mine's when they just came to stock on that exact day. Better luck on quail eggs next time for you!

 

[WhistlePig]

Update!!