First time Quail hatch questions

[Kymw90]

Last year I successfully hatched *1* Guinea fowl chick. Hes doing great and is the friendliest bird I've ever had.Did my first incubation with a manual bator and out of 6 eggs this guy (we call Rocky and turns out he is a boy) hatched. Hes now waiting for his new abode to be ready in my garden because hes so friendly he has no interest in other birds as companions.

Anyway back to the point!

I've decided to give the bator stuff another go. This time I'm going with an automatic turner because I beleive the constant opening of the manual bator ruined my Guinea attempt plus turning myself was always a pain. My questions are...

What temp? How many turns a day? (so I can set up the incubator) also anything I should be mindful of particulary when hatching quails? I know about them drowning in drinkers so marble filled dish is best. When can they go outside after hatching? I'm hoping they'll be ok to go outside soon after hatching (2/3 weeks) because its now getting warmer here in merry england and I hope they'll be outside in a hutch with a heat lamp until they can be trusted to go into a bigbird run.

 

[laseterlass]

I put my young one straight outside at 5 weeks into a shavings filled greenhouse at 20 degrees F. They did fine. Before they are fully feathered? They are FRAGILE. Even in the summer I will not sell them before 3 weeks of age as they can die so easily. I give electrolyte in water for the first 2 weeks and keep them away from draft. I am addicted to the little buggers

 

[TwoCrows]

Last year I successfully hatched *1* Guinea fowl chick. Hes doing great and is the friendliest bird I've ever had.Did my first incubation with a manual bator and out of 6 eggs this guy (we call Rocky and turns out he is a boy) hatched. Hes now waiting for his new abode to be ready in my garden because hes so friendly he has no interest in other birds as companions.

Anyway back to the point!

I've decided to give the bator stuff another go. This time I'm going with an automatic turner because I beleive the constant opening of the manual bator ruined my Guinea attempt plus turning myself was always a pain. My questions are...

What temp? How many turns a day? (so I can set up the incubator) also anything I should be mindful of particulary when hatching quails? I know about them drowning in drinkers so marble filled dish is best. When can they go outside after hatching? I'm hoping they'll be ok to go outside soon after hatching (2/3 weeks) because its now getting warmer here in merry england and I hope they'll be outside in a hutch with a heat lamp until they can be trusted to go into a bigbird run.

Incubate at 99.5 F Humidity level somewhere between 50% and 55%. At lock down day, 3 days before hatching, up the humidity by 10% and stop turning the eggs. Make sure all vents are wide open in incubator for lots of oxygen at lock down. Turn the eggs at LEAST 3 times a day during incubation, more if you can. (the more nutrients the growing embryo gets the better chances of health babies) Try not to open the incubator during hatch time too much until everybody is hatched and dry, although try to get them out and into the brooder on the same day of hatch.

Quail need to eat and drink as soon as possible. Lay down paper towels in the brooder (do not have any slippery surfaces on the brooder floor), and sprinkle feed all around the feeder area so they can figure out where the feed is. You can remove the paper towels after 3 or so days. You can also dip their beaks in the water when you first put them in the brooder so they know where the water is as well. (Quail are much dumber than chickens or other poultry LOL) And yes, make sure nobody drowns in the water...quail are very tiny and fall in easily.

Start the brooder temp at 95 degrees F and lower it 5 degrees each week until they are 6 weeks old. Keep it draft free in the brooder, however do not cover the lid of the brooder with anything but screen. You want to keep things out and quail in, but you want good air exchange. If you incubate outside, make sure to use a brooder with solid sides and floors to prevent drafts. Baby quail are very susceptible to dying in drafts.

Give them as much room in the brooder as you can afford to prevent cannibalism. And if you have a infra red brooder lamp, that will allow for a natural sleep pattern, but also give off light. Keeps them calmer as well.

Good luck!

 

[Kymw90]

That should be a print out of instructions

thanks I will stick to that then

 

[red golden]

Your auto turner will turn about every four hours.

 

[Kymw90]

Your auto turner will turn about every four hours.

Is that a good thing or too much?

 

[TwoCrows]

Eggs need to be turned at least 3 times a day, if not more. Some turners turn them every hour. By turning the eggs, you are moving new nutrients to the area the embryo is growing and feeding from. So, the more the eggs are turned, the more fresh nutrients the embryo gets.