How do I do this??

[holachicka]

Hi all! I was hoping someone could help me out... I've been working on my incubator and am almost finished, and found a guy on craigslist with fertile coturnix quail eggs for $3.00 a dozen. BUT I am looking for newbie step by step instructions on hatching them! I did a couple of searches, but was hoping for help! Thanks! Also, is this a good price for the eggs?

 

[fishfarmer]

$3.00 a dozen for fertile eggs is a good deal in my eyes!

Incubation of eggs
*Incubation period is 16-17 days but can go as long as 18 days (almost all of mine hatched at 18 days...so i plan my hatches around 18 days just to be safe)
*Turn eggs atleast 3 times a day
*Stop turning atleast 4 days before eggs are due to hatch
*Every quail breeder has their own humidity and temp preferences....I keep the temps in between 99.5F and 101F...however I try to keep it at 99.5 Fas much as I can. (in my new incubator *a cabinet* I now keep it at 100.6 and I still have gorgeous hatches) Humidity I keep in the 40s until the last four days of incubation where i up it to 60%

I got that from the link below.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=102281

It's a sticky in the quail forum. Has many useful information about quails.

 

[optic1]

I do not look at price that way, look at he bottom line with shipping. If they charge 40.00 to ship thats not a deal. If I can get 3 bucks a dozen and 10.00 to ship. now your talking. Check out MacNugget here on the forum. They have eggs.

 

[Quail_Cottage]

I'm in CA and I paid $4/doz but I drove over the bay to pick them up. No worrying about breakages during shipping.

I found tons of useful stuff in the sticky link at the top of the quail board. My incubator (a well used secondhand from craigslist GQF hova bator w/fan) ran at 99.5F and I had 50-60% humidity then 70%. Two successful hatches for a first timer at any sort of bird-hatching so i was happy with that. I hand turned them by flipping over the pointy end morning, afternoon and night. Lockdown was 3 days before day 18 and on my second hatch I added some paper towel on top of the wire mesh on the last turn which made cleanup a whole lot easier for me and those first steps for the chicks seemed a whole lot easier too.

Good luck!

 

[underground chickenman]

Quote:
Just about everything I've read on humidity says to keep it around 60 for the first 14 days and then bump it to 70 for the lock down. My first 100 are at the one week mark and I have been maintaining 55-60 humidity. I hope I relied on correct information. Thoughts?

UGCM

 

[holachicka]

Quote:
Just about everything I've read on humidity says to keep it around 60 for the first 14 days and then bump it to 70 for the lock down. My first 100 are at the one week mark and I have been maintaining 55-60 humidity. I hope I relied on correct information. Thoughts?

UGCM

UGCM, I hope we get some responses on this, because it seems like there may be a 5 degree conflict with humidity... I think I've seen more saying 60-65 humidity the last 3-4 days, and 40-45 the first 14 days... Any super experienced hatchers out there to answer?

 

[kingmt]

Quote:
Just about everything I've read on humidity says to keep it around 60 for the first 14 days and then bump it to 70 for the lock down. My first 100 are at the one week mark and I have been maintaining 55-60 humidity. I hope I relied on correct information. Thoughts?

UGCM

UGCM, I hope we get some responses on this, because it seems like there may be a 5 degree conflict with humidity... I think I've seen more saying 60-65 humidity the last 3-4 days, and 40-45 the first 14 days... Any super experienced hatchers out there to answer?

Any time there is more then one right way to do something there will be conflicting information. One person will say there way is better & the other will say there way is better. As far as a expert answering your question I would have to remind you that you are on a public form that is open for everyone to post a comment on. If you want expert advice I sugest buying a book but only buy one becouse you may run into conflcting info again.

There is a lot of people on here that have a lot of knowage but I have seen so many people ask for it then when it wasn't the way they wanted to do it they would just ignor the person & do it there way.

 

[holachicka]

I was just hoping for a general consensus about humidity so that UGCM could be reassured that his eggs will be ok.

The eggs are on my way into town, so next week I'll pick them up when visiting my folks!

No shipping, Glad to know I'll be getting a good deal!!

Thanks for all the help, I'll be reading up on those posts!! But I'm sure I'll have panicked mommy moments and post lots more questions!!

 

[CoopCrazy]

Honestly I dont stress much about humididty and mine have done really well .. I just add water every few days then at lockdown fill the trays in my bator and thats it..

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
Now will the eggs be sitting there the whole time til next week??? If so you need to have someone put them in a cool place (60degrees) and turnt hem three times a day.. Otherwise you are gonna majorly lose fertility