Crockpot Incubator Saga III: Shipped Quails Eggs...?!

[yakitori]

Next in my crockpot incubation adventures... Coturnix! Did I spell that right?

Holy yolks, these egg are soooo teensey and cute, I’m totally in love!!!



This hatch is going to be quite a challenge since most of the eggs have severely saddled air cells. USPS must have really manhandled the box considering the seller only lived 80miles away.

I let the eggs sit for 12 hours with no improvements to the air cells, so I figured they may as well just go in the pot.

———
Below is the crockpot set up that I drafted during last hatch...
I ended up removing the glass to promote moisture loss.

The basic premise is a crockpot plugged into a thermostat controller. It’s filled with water and then lined with a double layer of plastic (just a trash bag), making a cozy water bed for the eggs to sit on.


What I love about the pot incubator so far is that it’s low cost and easy to clean. Dumping out the water, rinsing the crock and switching out the plastic bag took me a grand total of 5 minutes.



The eggs have been in the pot for the past 16 hours. I've set them upright, but am at a loss as to how to turn them... Posted a thread in the quail forum asking for advice, hopefully someone will grant some soon!

Also, In case you noticed, I recieved 18 eggs, but there’s only 17 in the pot. Well that’s because one was cracked and .... I ate it.



Anyway, here we go... ladies and gentlemen... crockpot saga no.3. May the odds be ever in my favor


Oh and, feel free to join in, whether you are also incubating or just to hang out. I also desperately need quail keeping advice while we wait for these eggs to cook!

 

[yakitori]

LOOK WHAT I CAME HOME TO!!!!
I’m soooo happppy!!!!

and omg they’re so tiny.

There’s at least 5 more pipped eggs

 

[yakitori]

I’m about to be off to work, and this egg was taking forever to zip. a little beak came up through the shell again and again in the same place. So I decided to assist.

And I’m really glad I did, she had a leg over her head and couldn’t turn, yolk was fully absorbed, she just couldn’t make it out herself.

I peeled the shell and membrane off around her head, and out she popped

 

[yakitori]

Another ugly-soon-to-be-adorable thing popped out!



I took an hour and a half off work just to watch quails hatch

 

[yakitori]

It's so cute! What does it look like now?

I put them all in the brooder, and they’re warming up in the ziplock bag box I’ll take photos when I get home!

chickie number 6 made it out just before I left

 

[yakitori]

Photos incominnnnng...! Names are arbitrary and temporary, lol.

Mr kink neck


Ms kind of kink neck


Twins of the wild

Miss forgot her eyeliner

Mr Silver


Ms Silver Stripey


Sir Imposter penguin


Ms Brown no-liner


annnnnd there’s one more.... somewhere

Unfortunately the wild pattern chicks look so similar, I’m having a hard time keeping track.





Most of them prefer the huddle puddle...


Maybe the cave at 99F is too warm. But some still prefer some personal space


Mr silver staying hydrated

 

[yakitori]

I can’t get over how active quail embryos are, they’re practically bouncing off the walls...

 

[yakitori]

Ooh that looks like a good setup! Aww that baby's so cute!

I got a seedling germination mat under the pee pad and it’s holding at a cozy 97F in the cave. The mat actually warms up most of the bedding area, but the area is so big, it doesn’t hold much heat outside of the cave. Atleast they will have warm toes when they venture out

I’ve been very play by ear for this hatch. Cobbled together the brooder yesterday with a big box from aldis and two cooling racks!

 

[yakitori]

That's too cute!!

She’s been forgoing the great outdoors to just sit there and watch the babies

 

[yakitori]

Day almost 3

I’m blown away by how much details i can see during candling!

I love how whenever you candle a quail egg, it looks green inside!!

Right, they have green membranes iirc?

my first time candling quail eggs, hehe