Dry Hatching Cortunix Quails

[Erkenstein]

For me, 40-50% for incubation and 50-60% for lockdown/hatching. JMF recommends 50% and then 60%, so that is from what most people consider the authorities on quail.

Funny how everyone agrees on temp but not on humidity! There are some interesting discussions on the hatching forums about measuring humidity under broody hens etc. This is how we geek out.

 

[feedman77]

If it's a tabletop wrap it in a towel or blanket.

Just make sure not to cover vent holes.

 

[pinoyathletics]

Been a while no movement or sound at all. And then on Day 17 in the evening the first quail hatched. Thats 1 of 34. Its a Brown or a Manchurian so thats one of my stock not the mail eggs. This little guy walking well and not a care in the world.

View attachment 1467854

 

[pinoyathletics]

And Now there is Two. Alone no more.

 

[pinoyathletics]

This has to be the weirdest hatch ever.

Dry Hatch 25-40 degrees (avg 30 degrees Day 1 to 13) temp 38.1 celsius (about 101.5 F)

Lock down 14 bring humidity upto 65-70.
All eggs were Set on Day 0 except for 3 i added maybe the following day
Originally 56 eggs, 22 infertile, so down to 34 candled them on Day 10 there was maybe another 3-4 i was 50/50 about but atleast 30 viable eggs.

Now Day 17 one chic hatches near beggining of the day, one chic hatches about 6 hrs later and then another one a few hours before end of Day 17 - 3 chics
Day 18 - begin day one more chic hatches. Opened up incubator to add water. And im hearing alot of them now chirping inside the eggs. But i cant see any pips yet.

Will update so far 4 of 34 with dry hatch but i will give it until even uptill day 21 if need be. I think I will candle on Day 20.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Sara L]

I aim for 99 F, so that would be around 37.2 C. If they mostly hatched on Day 19, you might try increasing the temperature a tiny bit.

I usually wait about a day after the last ones have hatched, or day 20 and then examine the unhatched eggs to see if they are still alive or were duds. I take only a few out at a time and gently open the aircell side of the egg. If they are alive I put them back in the incubator. Most of the time the chicks hatch together in a group, so leftover eggs are rarely live chicks in my experience.

 

[lomine]

I would ask the seller for something. Slightly more than 50% fertility is pretty bad, especially if you are selling hatching eggs. Besides, it doesn’t hurt to ask.