How to hatch king quail eggs after Mum has a abandoned nest.

[DCJJ]

Hi everyone, I had a hen sitting on 12 eggs and she has hatched 4 and now won’t go back to the nest. I have put the eggs under a lamp as I thought some more might hatch soon. Will this work or is it worth just getting rid of the eggs??

 

[sylviethecochin]

It might work--I've done it in the past with bantam eggs, and introduced the chicks to her that night (she took both. Hooray!) My other method was incubation via cleavage. That worked as well.

Can you see any movement or pipping or anything if you candle them? She may haave abandoned them for a reason.

 

[DCJJ]

Thanks I can’t hear any piping at the moment but this is her first lot and after four hatched she’s just walked away from the nest. I can’t see through the egg either, not sure how to do that

 

[sylviethecochin]

Take a bright flashlight and a very dark room. Hold the egg partially in your fist and shine the flashlight up through it. There are pictures online of what you should see.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

It might work--I've done it in the past with bantam eggs, and introduced the chicks to her that night (she took both. Hooray!) My other method was incubation via cleavage. That worked as well.

Can you see any movement or pipping or anything if you candle them? She may haave abandoned them for a reason.

you are NOT the first person who has used the cleavage method and seems to work for the vast majority.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

I unfortunately can NOT use that method. And none of my female friends are willing to give it a go.