Day 17 no peeps eggs not moving.

[dc3085]

DC3085 I think the discourse that is taking place on the forum is important as you add some much needed experiential advice to animal husbandry. Say things in the best way you can... fact is fact and if you have good results, state them proudly.

We can't, however, negate an empirical study, which is in itself supported by trial and error and by a vast body of research. This is what fuels and funds our economic systems, the manufacturing of our products, and every aspect of the buying and selling of commercial goods.

The study used 16 week old hens, which is considered older as in the quail industry they are given 2-3 years before being retired from production. Older is a relative term as 16 months is pretty darn close to 24.

The study in question uses bobwhites then? Thats a whole different animal..Pun partially intended

 

[firewife9310]

I've never had any quail actually hatch on day 17. This time they didn't start hatching until day 20.

 

[StewedMammal]

I have had coturnix quail hatch between the days of day 14 through day 21 before.

 

[dc3085]

Hi All

I am on day 17, none of my coturnix quail eggs are moving, none have peeped, should I be worried?

Thanks

Anything yet?

 

[pmk3001]

Sorry everyone, I have been so busy with 16 quail that hatched out of 21. I am so SO happy. Thank you so much for the support. They hatched on day 18. 2 had spraddle leg, I used the plaster (band aid) trick, it worked a treat. 1 has a deformed foot all curled under, it seems to be getting around ok through.

 

[dc3085]

Sorry everyone, I have been so busy with 16 quail that hatched out of 21. I am so SO happy. Thank you so much for the support. They hatched on day 18. 2 had spraddle leg, I used the plaster (band aid) trick, it worked a treat. 1 has a deformed foot all curled under, it seems to be getting around ok through.

Sometimes those bad feet will open up. Usually leg/foot problems are caused by either too much humidity before hatch or the chick getting stuck in the shell for a long time. The more you hatch the less leg and foot problems you'll have. Hatching is a skill that takes some development.

Good luck with your chicks!

Edit to add: spraddle leg is not caused by the things I mentioned above. Spradle leg comes from them slipping and falling. Eliminate any slick surfaces in your incubator and brooder and you will only have a spraddle once in a great while.

 

[pmk3001]

Thanks DC3085. I am really struggling with food for them. Here in the UK it seems I can't get game bird feed as it is out of season. I found a local feed store that can get me turkey starter, in a couple of weeks, it is only 22% protein, will this be ok for them to eat when they are adults too? I have been feeding them chick starter that is 18% protein, ground up with cooked chicken egg.

 

[James the Bald]

Sorry everyone, I have been so busy with 16 quail that hatched out of 21. I am so SO happy. Thank you so much for the support. They hatched on day 18. 2 had spraddle leg, I used the plaster (band aid) trick, it worked a treat. 1 has a deformed foot all curled under, it seems to be getting around ok through.

PMK, Here is a site that can assist with problems with feet. The curled under feet is caused by a riboflavin deficiency, and if they are born this way, it was passed on from the hen. I have one hen that has this affliction. My first hatch had a sorry hatch rate, and when she hatched a month or so later, I hesitated to cull her right away; luckily, it turned out to be a hen, so she was spared the freezer as long as she continued to lay eggs.

So just letting you know that unless you plan on raising your birds on Deep Litter, then you may want to start making arrangements for housing this bird separately. The cage I have my hen in has a flooring of 1/4" x 1/4" wire; if she was in a regular cage, her foot would go through the wire and she would injure her leg. Her cage is directly next to my daughters Quail and they socialize but that is about it (not in the breeding matrix). I do have to scrub the cage more frequently as her droppings don't always "drop" through the wire flooring.

The best way to avoid this in the future is with quality eggs from a reputable source, such as James Marie Farms.
I hope this helps,
James
Edited to add: Once I learned of the poultry podiatry site, I did increase the roboflavin, but the hen was already 6 or 7 months old and it didn't help very much.

 

[BradLimer]

Good thread with good information. I started day 18 four hours ago, and nothing yet. Calmed my nerves a bit. I incubated a few hundred Bob Whites 20 years ago, but this is my first coturnix batch- which I paid for...lol

 

[Farida]

I'm on day 16 for button quail. This thread has been so useful!