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

[Canina]

Came home and found all the quails running around the kitchen floor. Seems like I forgot to close the cage door last night, they shared the space with 3 cats for over 12 hours and were completely ignored.

Good heavens Lucky. I have to be careful because we’ve got 3 snakes and 2 ferrets running around! They don’t seem that bothered by eachother either though.

 

[yakitori]

Good heavens Lucky. I have to be careful because we’ve got 3 snakes and 2 ferrets running around! They don’t seem that bothered by eachother either though.

wow, those are quite the pets! I’ve always wanted a ferret

Got my first three pips in the new batch of crockpot quail eggs today. out of 18 eggs 6 were infertile and 2 were scrambled upon arrival. One quit some time around day 10. This batch is an extreme impulse buy, I haven’t really had time to keep track of when I set them... and didn't turn them due to saddled egg shells. Humidity was also quite high during incubation, and I missed the lockdown timing altogether. I’ll report back if any survivors make it out of the shell XD

 

[Silkie Princess]

wow, those are quite the pets! I’ve always wanted a ferret

Got my first three pips in the new batch of crockpot quail eggs today. out of 18 eggs 6 were infertile and 2 were scrambled upon arrival. One quit some time around day 10. This batch is an extreme impulse buy, I haven’t really had time to keep track of when I set them... and didn't turn them due to saddled egg shells. Humidity was also quite high during incubation, and I missed the lockdown timing altogether. I’ll report back if any survivors make it out of the shell XD

 

[Canina]

wow, those are quite the pets! I’ve always wanted a ferret

Got my first three pips in the new batch of crockpot quail eggs today. out of 18 eggs 6 were infertile and 2 were scrambled upon arrival. One quit some time around day 10. This batch is an extreme impulse buy, I haven’t really had time to keep track of when I set them... and didn't turn them due to saddled egg shells. Humidity was also quite high during incubation, and I missed the lockdown timing altogether. I’ll report back if any survivors make it out of the shell XD

Best of luck!

I am following some advice to not turn the eggs for the first 3 or 4 days then start turning as normal until lockdown- what do you think about that? Most of the guides say to incubate at oddly high humidity compared to people here. I’m going to try 30-50 until lockdown then up to 75.

More buttons hopefully. Shipped eBay eggs, 5 arrived cracked, all have scrambled air cells. I’m terrified because I will have to be away from them for 48 hours and I’ve got to trust my partner to maintain the balance of the vivbator when he’s usually on the computer

 

[yakitori]

t

Best of luck!

I am following some advice to not turn the eggs for the first 3 or 4 days then start turning as normal until lockdown- what do you think about that? Most of the guides say to incubate at oddly high humidity compared to people here. I’m going to try 30-50 until lockdown then up to 75.

More buttons hopefully. Shipped eBay eggs, 5 arrived cracked, all have scrambled air cells. I’m terrified because I will have to be away from them for 48 hours and I’ve got to trust my partner to maintain the balance of the vivbator when he’s usually on the computer

View attachment 2924696

Wow, how are the aircells now? Did you candle them? I eliminated any of the ones with floating bubbles from the get go because those honestly look like the membrane has ruptured or something.... idk

Humidity wise, I’ve only hatched corturnix so I don’t know whether buttons would be the same. I’ve been reading that corturnix are generally incubated dry at 30-40% humidity until lockdown, and even then, the humidity shouldn’t be all that high. I have no idea why though, lol.

 

[yakitori]

6 pips so far!

 

[Canina]

t

Wow, how are the aircells now? Did you candle them? I eliminated any of the ones with floating bubbles from the get go because those honestly look like the membrane has ruptured or something.... idk

Humidity wise, I’ve only hatched corturnix so I don’t know whether buttons would be the same. I’ve been reading that corturnix are generally incubated dry at 30-40% humidity until lockdown, and even then, the humidity shouldn’t be all that high. I have no idea why though, lol.

Yes, i candle all of them before also selecting for size and shape, ultimately picking half that have the best chances and feeding half to the animals. All except one had air cell still attached, just a really messy shape so I had them upside down for over 24 hours and they’re improved. I use some as dummy eggs when test running the vivbator as you often need to adjust once something’s actually in there and I like to take the temperature of the individual eggs in their positions with a heat gun.

An example of when i candle everything before it goes in!

 

[yakitori]

Yes, i candle all of them before also selecting for size and shape, ultimately picking half that have the best chances and feeding half to the animals. All except one had air cell still attached, just a really messy shape so I had them upside down for over 24 hours and they’re improved. I use some as dummy eggs when test running the vivbator as you often need to adjust once something’s actually in there and I like to take the temperature of the individual eggs in their positions with a heat gun.

An example of when i candle everything before it goes in!

View attachment 2924837View attachment 2924838

Those cracks are upsetting. I’m actually quite surprised how well mine shipped in this cold weather and how intact they were for being in shipment for 4 days...

Definitely have them standing upright for longer than you think you need to. I’ve read some people let them hatch standing up also. you can always turn them while they are upright... I didn’t lay this batch down on their sides until 3 days ago (2 weeks into incubation?) ... 8/10 pips so far!

Last time I hatched quails, I didn’t have them upright long enough and the aircells became wonky again :/

 

[yakitori]

Mr kinkneck drinking from the sacred cat bowl

 

[yakitori]

Three eggs zipping at the same time!