Fast hatch

[Swamp Roo]

I think someone slipped some crack into my incubator! I pulled the turner out of the bator on day 14 (Monday) and had the 1st coturnix hatch less than 24 hrs later. After another 24 hrs I'm up another 5 (all before noon even). I might not even have noticed the first one if my DW had not told me the bator was peeping last night. I thought she was hearing things! I moved them all out of the bater at about 1pm today and they have eaten over two table spoons of starter already. I wonder if they will start laying next week if this keeps up?!!! Anyone else ever have them pop that fast? No more activity since noon, I wonder if more will hatch like normal (Friday)? We will see.

Swamp

 

[saddina]

Quote:
It's the bird equialvent of jiffy pop...

 

[ken429h]

It's my guess that some of the embryos were already developing before you set them. Embryo development can start at a much lower temp than some people might think, and they can diapauses for a short time. Sorry but I don't know the exact temp or time that can happen. Where did you get your eggs, or what average temp did you store them yourself?

I suppose it could be a genetic mutation and if you can duplicate it with their offspring...I want to buy some of your eggs

If you have an unusually low hatch rate, I suspect very old, and/or improperly stored eggs.

It would be cool to have an egg hatch in 15 days though.

Ken

 

[Swamp Roo]

Ken, I suspect old eggs is the reason. I had some mortality issues with my breeding stock and I just threw what I had left in the bator. I also had 5 eggs out of this batch crack and leak. We will see if these birds produce offspring that also hatch early.

Swamp

 

[shelleyd2008]

Old eggs would normally take more time to hatch, not less. I would also think that the eggs might have started developing before setting them, though I've had several pharoah-sized coturnix that hatched on day 15 and 16.

 

[JJMR794]

Warm Temps In The 'bator' Will Cause Early Hatches...

 

[Swamp Roo]

Quote:
Yup they will. Mine were 99.3-100.3 F. Don't think that was an issue here. Thanks

Swamp

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
Yup they will. Mine were 99.3-100.3 F. Don't think that was an issue here. Thanks

Swamp

NOPE DONT SOUND LIKE IT WAS... HAD TO COVER ALL THE BASES THO... LOOKS LIKE YOU MAY JUST HAVE YOURSELF A CASE OF EARLY BIRD DISEASE! I HAD AN OUT BREAK OF IT BACK IN JULY MYSELF, BUT NOBODY'S THE WORSE FOR WEAR FROM IT. JUST GOT TIRED OF OPENIN THE 'BATOR TO MAVE EGGS FOR HATCHING AND HAVIN STUFF BLINKING UP AND PEEPING AT ME.

 

[Swamp Roo]

LOL, I know what you mean. When my wife said she heard peeping, my first thought was "Great now she's hearing things!". Had another one pop today, no pip, just boom there it was. It will be interesting to see if more pop tomorrow, like they were all supposed to (day 18).

Swamp