first quail incubation

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Ditto on that!! Been reading up a little on incubating here lately...........mainly trying to decide whether to buy an incubator, or build one. But I have been pondering about the "egg turning" deal, as I don't mind doing it before I go to work, and again in the evening......if that is sufficient enough for a high-percentage hatch? Anyway, all you experts........please give us newbies some words of "economical" encouragement on incubating (without having to get a 2nd mortgage on the house.....LOL)

Most posts about hatching coturnix on the board are from people having problems. It is my opinion that the main problem with poor hatches has more to do with the quality of the eggs set, and almost nothing to do with the exact temp. and humidity. Unless it's way too low or high enough to kill an embryo.
Even the most experienced person can mess up a hatch, but that should be rare. If you can hatch almost anything, you can hatch coturnix.

I didn't want to insult people that had bad luck hatching coturnix by saying that it's the easiest part of raising the birds and a no brainier, but it really is.
There, I said it! Anyone that is offended please PM me with your swat down.
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Randall: Defiantly build your incubator, and save the $150+ you have to shell out on...Basically, a $2.50 Styrofoam cooler, $5.00 fan, $1.50 heat source, and 75 cents worth of wire for pen space. You can build a lot of pen space for $150+.
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There is a thread on the board somewhere that shows basic incubator construction. I'll edit it (HERE) when I find it. Anyone with a basic knowledge of electricity, thermal properties, and the difference between AC and DC, should be able to build an incubator for pennies on the dollar compared to the overpriced ANTI-COOLERS.
 
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Yeah, after reading much about how much a "store bought" one costs, and they being so non-complex, I'm designing one a little bit at a time in my head here lately. I work in the Industrial Maintenance world, so I've got the concepts figured out. Just trying to pick up on little details about temp, humidity, air circulation (mainly cfm / how little of a fan can I get by with?).........and most of all, how to build an egg turner for a homemade bator.
Is this https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8510&p=1 the thread you were thinking of?
 
Coturnix Truely Are The Roaches Of The Quail World.... But Do Not---- Repaet Do Not Dry Incubate--- As With All Game Birds Humidity Is More Important Than Temp! Most Importantly--- Have Fun And Enjoy Your Soon To Be New Addiction
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Quote:
Yeah, after reading much about how much a "store bought" one costs, and they being so non-complex, I'm designing one a little bit at a time in my head here lately. I work in the Industrial Maintenance world, so I've got the concepts figured out. Just trying to pick up on little details about temp, humidity, air circulation (mainly cfm / how little of a fan can I get by with?).........and most of all, how to build an egg turner for a homemade bator.
Is this https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8510&p=1 the thread you were thinking of?

That thread works and is a good example of a homemadbator.
The one I was thinking about had several examples but I seam to have lost the link.

From an engineering standpoint and basic bator cleanup. I tend to put all the electronics in the top of my bators. Only 2 so far. I don't want people to think I build incubators all the time.

Any fan running at any speed (cfm) should be fine. The whole "turbo fan" misnomer grates on me. Any fan that creates mechanical convection should be fine.
About 1 80mm per 20 cubic quarts, spinning at any speed is my best guess.

Humidity is actually the easiest thing to control. The greater the surface area of water, the greater the humidity.

You are your own on trying to build an egg turner. I just use my right hand.
 
Since the only thing I ever hatched before were ducks, I shouldn't have to worry about forgetting to check humidity
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Once I get my birds settled in I will start collecting hatching eggs. This should be fun.
 
OK.
So i'm on day six and am wondering if these little eggs are fertile
or if i'm just wasting my time. Can these little eggs be candled or
would it just be a lesson in anger management? these are cortunix
eggs and i don't think they will show anything! or will they????
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Quote:
Yes, you can candle the eggs, but it's not the easiest thing to do. I usually candle around day 9-10. I know that is over half the usual incubation period, but it is darn hard to see what is going on in them. Some are imposable to see in.
My rule is, if it glows it is not going to hatch. Sometimes I can see veins, and that is real prof of life, but most of the time I just see shadows.
 

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