Hatching shipped eggs at high elevation.

[COsteveo]

Good stuff here. I just had my first batch of quail shipped from near sea level. I am at 5400'. Candled but couldn't see much. Let them settle fat side up for a day and when I put them in yesterday, I got a humidity spike over 60% so I took the water out. I don't know of any local sources for jumbo coturnix so I'm just hoping I hatch enough to breed some myself.

 

[soldonold]

I heard somewhere (can't remember where) that quail are a little more forgiving of the higher altitude and hatch a little easier. So best of luck to you!

 

[COsteveo]

I heard somewhere (can't remember where) that quail are a little more forgiving of the higher altitude and hatch a little easier. So best of luck to you!

Thanks! I hope you're right.

 

[lgc1970]

Incredibly positive information soldonold. For the shipped eggs did you keep the humidity levels at 50 - 55%, then 65 - 70% for lockdown? I have already read that the airflow thru must be increased, the room should have a humidifier, and be brought to 75 - 78 degrees. Does any of this help? I cannot seem to find many hatching eggs at elevation, 8150 here, nor the breeds I am looking for.

 

[soldonold]

Hi lgc1970. I did keep the humidity in that range -- probably closer to 55 percent average. It is really dry here, esp. when the furnace is running. But I didn't increase the room humidity with a humidifier, and the room temp was closer to 68 average. But the incubator was really stable between 99 and 100 F. I used a Lyon TX6, which is easier to keep stable than the styrofoam one I used last year. Also, another difference was that the eggs lay on their sides in the TX6, and I turned them manually every few hours throughout the day and occasionally at night if I woke up. I didn't have to open the incubator since it has little knobs on the outside that move the egg grid and rolls the eggs. Last year, the eggs were in an automatic turner that just rocked them back and forth. During the last couple of days before hatch, I raised the humidity to 65 - 70. The shipped eggs I hatched this year came from Texas and Tennessee, so they were from much lower elevation, and I really don't think most of the chicks I got would have lived if I hadn't intervened. They are doing great now, though.

If you're going to try it, there are some good threads on here to read about assisted hatches. I was pretty aggressive in making sure they didn't go very many hours after they pipped before I enlarged the pip hole for air if they weren't making progress. My guideline was if I saw any sign of bleeding at all when I was chipping egg shell away, I put it back in the incubator for an hour or so until I got most of the shell & membrane away from the chick's head, and left the bottom half alone, then I put them back in again, and they were able to hatch themselves when they were ready.

Good luck to you! It was pretty nerve racking, but it was worth it since I got the chicks I was wanting. Hatching from my own chickens is much more fun, though!!

 

[becky3909p]

I am at around 8,000 ft above sea level and have been trying to hatch some Easter Eggers or Americaunas. (I just want some blue/ green egg layers) I also have had a problem with no live chicks hatching. I thought it was something I was doing wrong so got an egg from our neighbor that has mixed breed chickens (no green or blue egg layers tho ) and got it to hatch out with no problem. It never occurred to me that it could be the altitude. We live out in the middle of nowhere in WY so I'm not sure I'll be able to purchase any chicks from a feed store. Looked into purchasing chicks online but min order is 25 which is way too many for me not to mention the cost. It is really disappointing not to be able to hatch any out, finally giving up just can't afford to buy any more eggs off eBay. I usually have messed up air pockets, clear eggs, and blood rings. I always give them at least 24 hours after receiving them to rest in the correct position. I think the USPS has much to do with the problem. Anyone have any ideas, especially where I could try some "high altitude" eggs, please let me know as I would love to succeed in this. Didn't want to end on this depressing note. Becky

 

[soldonold]

Hi Becky. I know how you feel. I was so discouraged last year I could hardly stand it! Local eggs are just so much easier to hatch than eggs that have been through the shipping trauma. And high elevation just makes it that much harder. I got my first chicks several years ago at MyPetChicken website. I think their minimum order is 7. And I've gotten some from Cackle Hatchery, and their minimum is 15. They have Easter Eggers too. Maybe you could get someone to split an order with you. With all the money I spent last year on eggs that didn't hatch, I could have bought a bunch of chicks! Once you get your own flock established, hatching eggs from your own hens is so much less stressful!! Best of luck to you!

 

[COsteveo]

I managed to get a few shipped quail eggs to hatch. I suspect I would have done better if my DIY incubator hadn't started running cool halfway through. I think the thermostat went wonky but I couldn't bring myself to set it to 105F, no matter what the temp in the cooler was.

I found a source of jumbo quail chicks north of Fort Collins, so I'm buying 30 chicks when they hatch next week. I'll rebuild the incubator before I start hatching out my own eggs in a few months.

 

[COsteveo]

Well, I have already found a buyer for my excess quail, and it'll be another month or so before I have any of my own eggs to set, so I'm going to redo the incubator and try again next week. Rather than mess with the heat cable again I'll just use a 25w bulb. The heat cable would take a while to heat up and cool down, but a bulb is instant on/off so that should minimize temperature swings. I'm going to order from JMF, who has real jumbo birds (the ones I bought are big, but JMF's are still significantly bigger), and also good reports on hatch rates from their shipped eggs.

After this batch, I won't change a thing when I set my own eggs, just to get a decent comparison.

 

[soldonold]

Good luck, COSteveo. It will be interestng to see how your new revised temp control affects your hatch rate with the shipped eggs,and how that compares with the results you get from your own eggs. I bet you find it's night and day difference. Eggs from my chickens hatch like popcorn popping!

I wasn't going to hatch any more shipped eggs because I get so stressed , but I suddenly developed an irresistable need for some heritage barred rocks and found a great deal on ebay, so I couldn't resist.

. I got 17 eggs, and at 10 days, 5 were quitters and the other 12 showed lots of movement -- so far so good, but hatch day will tell the whole story. I should get some chicks anyway.