Dry Hatching Cortunix Quails

[Sara L]

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.

I think it depends on what temp you are incubating at and maybe even what strain of coturnix. Mine have been hatching at day 18 but online I keep seeing 16-18 days. My last hatch (about 5 days ago lol) they started hatching at 17.5 days and finished on day 18, all of those eggs were from a new source to me and I didn't have any of my own eggs in there. I have a mixed set in lockdown now, part my eggs and part the same source as the previous hatch, they should hatch hopefully within 2 days.

 

[pinoyathletics]

What temperature do you incubate at? My incubator recommends 37.5 degrees, but the guy i bought some eggs off says he always goes at 38.1 degrees. My eggs started hatching at Day 18 and alot also Day 19, only a few hatched like 1 or 2 on Day 20 at the beggining of the day. And none for the rest of the day. So i cracked them open on Day 21.

 

[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.

 

[pinoyathletics]

Im incubating the eggs at 38.1 or 100.5 F. On Day 5 of incubation. And doing dry hatch 25-40 humidity. One one day the humidity dropped to 24 so i had to add a bit more water. I wont be candling or taking it out. i will just add more water. When i get to 14 i will take the eggs out of the auto turner.

 

[lomine]

When I incubated quail eggs under ideal circumstances (all same hatch date, no chicken eggs, stored probably (predators and storm damage forced my hand a couple times)) at 99.5 F with 50% humidity and 65% at lockdown I usually had about an 85% success rate. When I had quail eggs set with chicken eggs using the dry incubation method my hatches weren't as good.

On the other hand I've had a terrible time trying to incubate chicken eggs. I also had a lot chicks drown in egg. My high altitude is my biggest issue. My best hatches with the chicken eggs was using the dry incubation method (30% and 55-60% at lockdown). In my last batches I kept a journal and weighed my eggs periodically to ensure they were losing enough weight. I still need to fine tune my method but keeping records has been a huge help. I think you may be like me and have to find what works best for you and your environment. You may just have to experiment with different settings to find the right one.

 

[pinoyathletics]

Well im on Day 7 now, of my hatch. Im not going to bother candling this time. Either they hatch or they dont. I have had humidity down set at 25. Not added water, apart from once it dropped to 24 then i added more water.

 

[pinoyathletics]

Did Candling, i placed my eggs from my stock. from first day to last day in a pattern. Incubator has 7 rows of 8 in each row. Oldest egg around 10-11 days infertile, egg from around 8 days was unsure of it was light on one side and hard to see through but no clear real dark spot. Egg from 2nd row at the start prob around 6-7 days, had a very visible dark spot and some veins. All the other eggs are 6 days or less.

 

[pinoyathletics]

Just candled my eggs on Day 12. Of the 56 eggs i set alot are infertile

10 of the 24 eggs i got through the post were not fertilised. I will wait to see of the remaining 14 how many hatch. Do you think I should perhaps ask the guy for a partial refund as this is quite poor. Last time i got eggs from a different person i got 30 eggs, and 27 of them were fertile.

Of my own eggs i collected from my current flock 12 of 32 was infertile.

This leaves on Day 12 with 34 viable eggs out of 56.

Me and my niece cracked all these eggs open and nothing but yolk so absolutley right.

This leaves 34 more eggs. So this means the eggs were never fertile and the dry incubation would not have played a part.

Last time i had 39 fertile eggs and 23 hatched. I would be happy now if 20 of the 34 eggs hatched. Originally out of 56 i was expecting 20-30.

Eggs going to lock down at the beggining of Day 15.

 

[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.

 

[pinoyathletics]

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.

I paid $20 for 24 eggs + and then $10 postage. Im thinking if i should get $10 back. As its clearly not a postage issue.