First-timer: Just bought 12 Coturnix quail eggs... help? :)

[Cherlyn]

Never incubated or owned quail before! Any tips or tricks, or helpful websites to explain the incubation process?

~Cherlyn

 

[Emilys3guppies]

Check out the 'how-tos' section of BYC for some great reads!!

Most of the information applies to quail, just as chickens, with a few minor modifications.

*coturnix take 17 days, not 21. Lockdown on day 14.
*seems that rotating the eggs isn't as big a deal with quail as it is with chickens
*temp is the same for quail as it is for chickens
*humidity, it seems, is similar or the same too, depending on who you ask

Best of luck to you! I'm setting some coturnix eggs on the 18th of this month, so I'd love to follow your story. I hope you post updates!

Emily

 

[monarc23]

coturnix can hatch anywhere from 15-18 days normally. However give or take a few days. If by the day you stop turning they aren't rocking and pipping dont' worry let them go

My personal humidy is 40-50 % during turning phase
during stop turning phase to hatching 60-70%

Don't be worried if they don't hatch "like popcorn" like people say they dont' always hatch like that. I know mine don't lol.

I stop turning 4 days before they are 18 days incubated so day 15 i stop. If you forget to turn for a few days or forget to stop, it wont kill them...however if you use automatic turners the chicks can hatch and get killed by the turner (i hand turn).

hand turning is very simple..place a flat hand on as many eggs as you can easily, and let them roll under your hand to the left or right or up or down whatever you want. You dont need to write on or pick up the eggs to turn them.

 

[skywatcher]

The most important thing to watch is temperture keeping it within 1-2 degress of 99.5
The room temperture in my house varies day to night sometimes as much as 20 degrees,so I must adjust themostate to regulate temperture at noon then check at bedtime and adjust if necessary.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
I disagree with the temp i dont think it's that critical at all to keep it around there. My incubator is stable at 100.5-100.7 chicks hatch, a lot of chicks ...hatch

My temperature never fluctuates in my incubator either. <-- i take that back, it will go up to 100.7 if it's REALLY hot in the house which almost never happens because we almost always have the central air on.

 

[Lextextrapper]

My incubator is a forced air model (sportsman) and it stays at a constant 99.5 degrees. This last hatch I hatched 57 out of 64 eggs.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
well ofcourse incubators have reccomend temps lol but it's not a huge rule. I've had 100% hatches many times with my own eggs here at the the 100.5-100.7 temp. Mine is also a forced air, it's a huge cabinet incubator that's 70 years old.

 

[feather leg farms]

Forgive me. I am dum when it comes to Quail. I have two buttons and always see Coutrnix Quail for sale, wanted. Why does everyone want them so much over button and Bobwhite?

Send me a PM to answer, please.

 

[Cherlyn]

I have a homemade incubator, but I cannot get the temps above 98. I need to wait until I can somehow get it to 100, right? I am guessing putting them in at 98 would be a bad thing.

~Cherlyn

 

[skywatcher]

I have 3 thermometers in the incubator used 5 to set the tempeture they varied by as much as 8 degrees found 3 to be within 4 degrees. What type heat source are you using? My home made cabinet incubator uses 4 light bulbs 100 watt 1 stays on wired to a switch to maintain temp. I did have a glass element 140 watt at the bottom .