help incubating quail vs chicken...

[Josh45640]

I finally started getting some quail eggs and I have 70 something ready to go. I usually have 85-95% hatching chicken eggs. Ive never done quail though, so what do I need to know about hatching quail eggs that is different than hatching chicken. These are cotornix quail in a forced air hovabator (2362 I think) with automatic turner (quail trays). Thanks!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I incubate mine the same way I do anything else: 99-100 degrees temperature, 25%-40% humidity during incubation with 50%+ during hatch. The only thing different is they hatch sooner, around day 16-18.

 

[Josh45640]

I was told to lock down on day 15. Is that correct? Do they candle like chicken eggs? I cant imagine that you would be able to tell much in those little speckled eggs.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If you have a good candler and the eggs are not too dark you can see inside them some. Not so much as you can for most chicken eggs but enough to tell if there's anything going on. And day 14-15 is okay for lockdown, I've forgotten them completely and had them hatch in the turners before and it didn't affect the hatch. They are pretty tough little eggs most of the time.

 

[Josh45640]

Better to hatch them in cartons or lay them on their sides on the wire with a paper towel under them to prevent their legs from going through?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Their legs won't go through the 1/4" wire that is included in most (all?) incubators. But if it makes you feel better you could use some non-skid rubber shelf liner. If you use paper towel and it gets wet your humidity will go crazy. They wouldn't stay in the cartons so that wouldn't help with what you're thinking.

 

[JJMR794]

You'll Get A Higher Hatch Number By Setting Upright In Cartons For Hatch

 

[galanie]

First, let me say I'm talking about Coturnix. I was pretty sure I did just about everything wrong with the ones I just hatched. Didn't ever go into lockdown, didn't pay close attention to the humidity, opened the incubator before they were all hatched. Had shipped eggs. Didn't use egg cartons. Still got 60% hatch rate. They were just popping like popcorn for a while there yesterday! Every time I looked, another was coming out.

Like they said, just do it like you do chickens. Far as using egg cartons to hatch, I know it works best with chickens so it makes sense that it would with quail.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I open my hatcher all the time when chicks are hatching, the only ones I have problems with are my BCM because they are finicky. With quail you have to open it to take chicks out, you can't leave them in there as long as chickens. I've had several hatch at 25%-40% humidity in the turner when I've forgot they were due...as long as you don't over or under heat them or have your humidity way too high they are pretty hard to mess up.

Personally, I've not noticed a difference between hatching with or without cartons with quail eggs. If I have one in there, fine, if not, that's fine too.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
I open my hatcher all the time when chicks are hatching, the only ones I have problems with are my BCM because they are finicky. With quail you have to open it to take chicks out, you can't leave them in there as long as chickens. I've had several hatch at 25%-40% humidity in the turner when I've forgot they were due...as long as you don't over or under heat them or have your humidity way too high they are pretty hard to mess up.

Personally, I've not noticed a difference between hatching with or without cartons with quail eggs. If I have one in there, fine, if not, that's fine too.

I didn't know about them needing to come out ASAP. I did it though because I reasoned that their size would mean they couldn't have the reserves that newly hatched chickens do so out they came. Glad to know I was right!