First time hatching - coturnix quail eggs

[GoldenFlight]

I dont know yet what colours we'll get... the breeder that I bought the eggs off has a wide range of colours (and breeds super-large quail, apparently) so we'll see. It's nice to have the surprise to look forward to. I woke up this morning and lots of them are pipping, and I've heard a few little cheeps, so I've obviously managed not to kill them and its all on!

That's will be a big surprise! Yay, I can't wait for pics!

 

[pseudoarmadillo]

First one just hatched!!! The kids have named him/her Schnell. Cos she/he was the quickest. Sooooo cuuute!! Can't get decent pics yet cos of the incubator. We're all glued to the spot watchibg the others for signs of action.

 

[GoldenFlight]

First one just hatched!!! The kids have named him/her Schnell. Cos she/he was the quickest. Sooooo cuuute!! Can't get decent pics yet cos of the incubator. We're all glued to the spot watchibg the others for signs of action.

Yay!!!!!!!!!! Awwwww.... That's so cute!!! Can you tell what color it is?

 

[laughingdog]

Quail eggs easiest bird eggs to hatch and can be in container on old warm fridge just shaking or rolling around one to three times daily and get half to all hatch, or put container on heating pad for reptiles with inch padding under eggs, or under desk lamp. Congratulations, and babies from these in two months will be epic like popcorn. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[pseudoarmadillo]

Thanks, laughing dog! You must be right, because despite my 100% certainty that none of the eggs would hatch at all because I'd killed them all accidentally when the temperature spiked, we have a happy outcome!

I put 2 dozen eggs to incubate - 5 were infertile when I candled, so that left 19. From those 19, we have ten fluffy chicks happily exploring the brooder, three drying off in the incubator, two more nearly unzipped. One sadly died while hatching overnight... it looked like the membrane was a bit dry last night, but I decided not to help it out, and woke up this morning to a shrinkwrapped tragedy. 3 others were a bit shrinkwrapped too, so I did help them out to avoid any more deaths... I'll know not to open the incubator so much next time!

So that leaves three eggs that don't seem to be doing anything, and we thought there were 3 that looked dodgy when we candled before lockdown, so that sounds about right. I think that's an Ok hatch rate for first time around!
They are so cuddly and interested in us and the world. Ridiculously cute! The cat thinks so too... he's watching them VERY intently.

I hope you can see this little vid... https://goo.gl/photos/tFGD8nKTKoGfPJH7A Thanks for all the support and encouragement!

 

[pseudoarmadillo]

Oh, I also meant to say I had two with really severe splay leg/spraddle leg, so I put each of them in a small drinking glass lined with tissues for about 5 hours overnight, and they're totally cured... you can't even tell which ones they were. So that's a relief.

 

[GoldenFlight]

Oh, I also meant to say I had two with really severe splay leg/spraddle leg, so I put each of them in a small drinking glass lined with tissues for about 5 hours overnight, and they're totally cured... you can't even tell which ones they were. So that's a relief.

Yay!!!

 

[dawnmt70]

OH my word!! I hadn't heard of that! Watching the video I caught myself making all the oooh and awww sounds that pop out when watching babies.

 

[pseudoarmadillo]

Here's a photo of one of my little guys wearing her shoes...

 

[pseudoarmadillo]

And here she is about 5 days later after the shoes came off - success! No more clubfoot or spraddle leg.