Dry Hatching Cortunix Quails

[pinoyathletics]

I'm considering doing a dry hatching Cortunix Quail this time.

I have this model of incubator

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/review-of-the-56-egg-no-brand-incubator.1139751/

Last time i hatched 23 of 39 using the factory settings 45-55 degree humidity then 60-70 at lock down sometime spiked upto 75-80 at times.

Im thinking of using the dry incubation of 15-30 and then 60-65 at lock down.

 

[RosieR]

I’ve been reading about dry incubating, but I haven’t tried it. I would be interested at how it turns out with quail. Most of what I’ve read has to do with chicken eggs.
You are also half way around the world for me so I’m sure that will have a roll to play on how things work as well

 

[Sara L]

That is kind of what I do with my incubation. I don't add any water prior to lockdown, and my hygrometer (not calibrated, so is probably off a bit) says between 25-40 humidity. Then at lockdown I add water and try to get around 60-70 humidity. Seems to work pretty well.

 

[pinoyathletics]

what sort of hatch rates do u get with that method?

That is kind of what I do with my incubation. I don't add any water prior to lockdown, and my hygrometer (not calibrated, so is probably off a bit) says between 25-40 humidity. Then at lockdown I add water and try to get around 60-70 humidity. Seems to work pretty well.

 

[Sara L]

what sort of hatch rates do u get with that method?

I would have to find my incubator journal for specifics, but I got better hatches with this than with adding water at the beginning of the hatch. When I added water at the beginning of the hatch I ended up with a lot of chicks that were fully developed but didn't make the external pip. The only thing I could conclude is my humidity was too high, so I stopped adding water prior to lockdown.

 

[RosieR]

That is kind of what I do with my incubation. I don't add any water prior to lockdown, and my hygrometer (not calibrated, so is probably off a bit) says between 25-40 humidity. Then at lockdown I add water and try to get around 60-70 humidity. Seems to work pretty well.

I’m adding a small amount of water to get mine to 40% right now, but I don’t add it till it completely dries out and sits at about 25%. Hopefully I’m not hurting my hatch by doing this.
Going to aim for 60+ at lockdown.

 

[pinoyathletics]

Sara i ended up with Fully Developed Chicks that didnt make the external pip and died in the shell. I had 44 eggs, 39 fertile, 23 of 39 hatched. They hatched on Day 18, 19, and few on day 20. So on Day 21 i cracked opened the remaining 16 eggs. One was early embryo death, the other 15 had fully developed chicks, 11 had died in cell, and 4 were still barely breathing but died has they were not fully solidified yet. Do you guess to much humidity may cause them to drown in the shell???

I would have to find my incubator journal for specifics, but I got better hatches with this than with adding water at the beginning of the hatch. When I added water at the beginning of the hatch I ended up with a lot of chicks that were fully developed but didn't make the external pip. The only thing I could conclude is my humidity was too high, so I stopped adding water prior to lockdown.

 

[Sara L]

Sara i ended up with Fully Developed Chicks that didnt make the external pip and died in the shell. I had 44 eggs, 39 fertile, 23 of 39 hatched. They hatched on Day 18, 19, and few on day 20. So on Day 21 i cracked opened the remaining 16 eggs. One was early embryo death, the other 15 had fully developed chicks, 11 had died in cell, and 4 were still barely breathing but died has they were not fully solidified yet. Do you guess to much humidity may cause them to drown in the shell???

There are lots of reasons they might not have made it, but I had fewer fully developed chicks die without pipping with the dry hatch method than when adding water at the beginning. I think mine drowned or didn't have a big enough air cell, which can be caused by too much humidity during the earlier part of incubation. Sounds like that may be what happened to you.
The best thing you can do is try to get your thermometer & hygrometer calibrated, and keep a journal of your incubation and results. Each time you are near your incubator, write down the time and temperature/humidity. That way you can figure out what works best with your incubator and gives you the best hatch.

 

[Sara L]

I’m adding a small amount of water to get mine to 40% right now, but I don’t add it till it completely dries out and sits at about 25%. Hopefully I’m not hurting my hatch by doing this.
Going to aim for 60+ at lockdown.

Sounds like it should work, mine usually jump around between 25-40 humidity, depending on what the room is doing or how often I open the incubator. Find what works best for you and aim for that.

 

[pinoyathletics]

Sounds like it should work, mine usually jump around between 25-40 humidity, depending on what the room is doing or how often I open the incubator. Find what works best for you and aim for that.

Yes when i candled the eggs the air cell was tiny. So they probably drowned or developed early. But Day 18 was very late for a hatch,i thought they usually start pipping around Day 16.