coturnix late hatch, when should I float test them?

[Purin]

Hello everyone,


I've been reading the forum a lot lately, and it's been of great help! Thank you for all the information!


I've got a little problem with my quail eggs though. I'm hatching Coturnix chinensis eggs and it's already the end of day 18 and there are no signs of pipping or any movement. I've read that they most often hatch around day 16-17 and I'm really worried that mine will not hatch. I candled them and I doubt they are infertile (we took one out on day 6 that was clearly infertile and it stood out during candling so I guess the rest at least started developing.)

My question is, should we float test them tomorrow if nothing happens? Or should we still wait and if so until when?

We've had no problems with temperature or humidity, the incubator has automatic turning so I really don't know what went wrong


Thank you for any advice!

 

[fuhrchick]

What temp and humidity did you run during the main part of incubation and when did you take out the turner? Also what are your readings right now?

 

[Pancholoco]

You need to remove turner before lock down at 14 day for cotornix, humidity was at 40%'s first days and 65 to 75% last 3 days

 

[Purin]

Thank you both for replies.

The incubator thermometer shows 37,4-37,5 all the time and the digital one we placed in the upper part of the incubator say 38,3-36,6, so I guess it's always been somewhere in between (was it too high?) The humidity was around 50% and I've been keeping it around 70% since I stopped the turned on day 15. (I'm using Brinsea Mini Advance)
It's day 19 morning now and still no change

edit:
Shoud I have lowered the temperature a bit in the lockdown?

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Actually I would have raised the temperature just a tad. Since you're using Brinsea Mini ADV (my favorite incubator btw ) I would raise it to 99.8 if you have it set lower than that. Good luck and keep informed of the hatch! I've got quail eggs set to hatch next week if all goes well.

 

[SeptemberQuail]

You should float test at around day 21, as apparently that's the latest day. But it doesn't hurt to check just in case.
My quail hatched between a period of three days, with one hatching on day 19, majority hatching on day 20 and then one on day 21.
It can be varied. So there's still a chance.

 

[Purin]

Thank you for the reassuring words!

I have it set to 37.5 (99.5F I guess) but the digital thermometre (taped to the transparent lid so that we can see what it says from the outside) always showed the temperature a bit higher.. I never knew which one I should trust more.. the inbuilt one or the digital one we added.
I`ll think about raising the temp just a bit as you suggested.

Thank you both. I`ll be posting right away if anything happens!

 

[chicpoopscooper]

You should float test at around day 21, as apparently that's the latest day. But it doesn't hurt to check just in case.
My quail hatched between a period of three days, with one hatching on day 19, majority hatching on day 20 and then one on day 21.
It can be varied. So there's still a chance.

My twelve did the same thing, four on the 16 th ,then four on the 18 th day and I was about to float the last four on the 20thday and found four more peeps. They are all just over a week old now.

 

[Purin]

It's day 20th today and still no change. I've raised the temperature just a tad as suggested and I'm keeping the humidity high as well (70-75%).

Still waiting..

 

[fuhrchick]

Try candling for movement.... did your temp ever drop during the first part of incubation?