How Early Or Late Can Coturnix Quail Hatch?

[suzettex5]

This is our last hatch till spring, and we decided to hatch some of my sons' quail eggs. We put 7 in the bator on the 4th (in the AM, around 10ish), but one went in the day before,making a total of 8. We had the early one hatch on the 19th (it went in the bator on the 3rd), then had 2 hatch yesterday, then another just a few minutes ago. Still have 4 in there, no pips or rockinh or peeping from them.

I did have two temp spikes in the last 10 days- both went to 104 (

) but only for maybe 2 hours before I noticed and corrected. I dont think it was long enough to speed development of the chicks, and it would be weird for only a few to be further along than others, right?

If it helps, I am using an LG with fan, used an egg turner till lock down. Humidity was around 30-35 till lockdown, then it goes up to about 44-50, maybe a tad higher during hatch.

Sorry I was so long in getting to my actual question! I was wondering, how early can they hatch, and how long should I leave the stragglers in the bator waiting for them to hatch? I dont want to disrupt the temps or humidity to do a water test since they are (maybe) so close to hatch.

Whats the longest incubation time anyone has had when hatching coturnix quail? Or do I have my dates wrong?

 

[Rozzie]

They are a bit late. I'd give them longer. I'd go until at least 21 days. Knowing me, I'd leave them a day beyond that.

 

[Rainwolf]

I leave them in til the 21st day then I float test and toss unless they move.

I also do eggtopsy's on every egg and track on a spread sheet infertile, first week quitters, second week quitters and full formed that died. This helps me figure out if I personally had a incubation problem.

example if most of the unhatched fertile eggs died around the same time then I know something happened on my end.

edited for bad spelling and a wacked spellchecker.

 

[joe125]

Without doing any complicated math, I would quess you are around day 18-19. Unless you are just itching to set those eastern magpie eggs and need the bater space, then let them ride the full 21 days.
The temp spike is alarming, but not necessarily deadly, unless the internal egg temp reached 104, and all bets are off.

I say...let them ride 21 days.

 

[Robo]

I had an entire batch hatch at 20 to 21 days. They all hatched so I am not complaining.

 

[JJMR794]

Float Test Them

 

[Robo]

It will tell you if they are gonna hatch, and it's a lot of fun to see them flip around.

 

[shelleyd2008]

As for the time it takes them to hatch, it varies. My weirdest hatch was one that took 5 days from start to finish. First babies hatched on day 15, last babies on day 19. They were all set at the same time, in the same incubator, and from the same birds (mine). I use a hovabator genesis, so I know there wasn't a problem with temperature fluctuations. They just wanted to be different

 

[suzettex5]

Well, I did a float test. All four were wiggling! I am so glad! Today there are 2 tiny pips. I'm starting to think maybe I added eggs later than I thought....its possible I guess. But I could swear I added them all the same day.

Gah, I wish there were a cure for CRS!

 

[JJMR794]

The Best Cure For Crs Is Writing Notes... But If You're Like Me Then You'll Forget Where You Put The Stupid Note....