first egg!

[lozzajp]

Quite excited, got my first egg today. Judging by the quails daily activities I would say its most likely fertilised lol! They are Japanese Quails.

Anyone know a quick fact sheet or just give me some quick dot points on how to keep it incubated:

What temperature? (in Celcius)
Currently its just sitting in a box on top of tissue and torn up tissue for some soft padding. What is the best?
Should I turn them daily?
How many days until hatching?
How can I tell if it is unfertilised or not going to hatch?

Silly question maybe, can you eat eggs if they might or are fertilised? We plan to start eating the eggs, if they start to become in excess in the pen with males and females can you just safely eat them?

Thanks!
Laurence.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC and the quail forums!

Congrats on the first egg!!! However, hold on to your horses yet. LOL Quail need to mate and lay for at least 2 full weeks before you get fertility.

Once they have been laying, collect the eggs for up to 10 days. Store them in an egg carton, large end up in a place that is as close to 50 to 60 degrees as possible. I know it is hard this time of year to keep them cool, but do your best. Give them a twist a few times a day before incubating.

Incubate at 99.5 degrees. Humidity 50% to 55%. Lock down on day 14. Stop turning the eggs and up the humidity to 60% to 65%. They should hatch around day 17 or 18.

You can eat fertile or unfertile eggs. Your choice.

 

[veggiecanner]

I just lined a plastic box with card board and t-shirt material, I was going to put my eggs in it to save for incubation. I forgot they have to have big end up. so back to the drawing board on that one.
I was trying to figure out how big the eggs have to be to incubate too.
I have 2 laying one of their eggs is much smaller.(first egg)
The larger egg weighs .55 ounce. will that be big enough? the eggs are from brown coturnix.