Are quail eggs harder or easier to hatch than chicken eggs?

[mrbstephens]

I'm pretty sure I remember hearing that quail eggs are easier to hatch, but then someone told me the opposite today. Which is it?

 

[gamebirdsonly]

I think their easier just from my experience

 

[mrbstephens]

That's what I thought. Anyone else care to share?

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

i find that they are much easier to hatch and raise

 

[Ntsees]

If you are dealing with coturnix, they probably are easier in an incubator. If you're dealing with domesticated wild quail, it is tougher (at least in my experience).

 

[spikennipper]

Not a huge amount of difference with regards to incubating and hatching for me, after they have hatched quail are a little bit more difficult as they need their food ground up and pebbles in the water dish or they'll drown, they don't catch on how to eat quite as quick as chicken chicks either!

 

[CheyenneV]

In my opinion, quail are MUCH easier to hatch, however chickens aren't near as demanding.. Just my two cents.

 

[Del1977]

Well I have actually found the opposite. I've had much higher hatch rates with chickens, and they are far more robust and easier to care for in the early days, but of course take so much longer to raise and are far more expensive to get them to maturity. Tend to have lower hatch rates with quail, and they need a lot more care the first few days, but after a week or so are far easier to care for and raise, and much cheaper, and they mature so quickly that they can sold quickly ready for the next batch.

 

[CheyenneV]

Wow! I Have just the opposite luck. I set 100 chicken eggs and might get a 60% hatch.. I set 100 quail and 85-95 % hatch. BUT... The are very time consuming for the first couple weeks. Yes, they mature quickly, but what achore. I do love my birds, we raise quail, chickens, ducks, turkeys and guineas. I have to say the quail are the favorites. Lol

 

[Del1977]

We achieved 88% with our last batch of chickens but the last 3 batches of quail have ranged from a mere 10% to 50%. Hatching is on hold now until end of January due to Christmas and summer school holidays, vacations etc, so going to try giving the quail some vitamins over summer to see if that helps. Fertility of the eggs has been 95-100%, but for some reason we are getting a lot of mid to late quitters.

Those 3 batches have included shipped eggs, plus some of our own, so I know that can effect hatch rate, but still....Our last chicken batch with 88% was all shipped eggs.