How to set up Bobwhite eggs from my own hens before incubator

[quailchick]

I decided to save some eggs from my Bobwhite hens to hatch in our incubator. We don't have room for many more, so I only want to hatch 6. I read somewhere that you are supposed to set the eggs aside for some days before putting them in the incubator. Can you tell me the instructions for this? Last time we incubated eggs from the mail and had 100% hatch rate. I know what to do once they go in the incubator, I just need the instructions for when you are collecting the eggs and setting them up in the cupboard.

I need to know where do the eggs need to set at? I have them in a kitchen cupboard with glass door right now, in an egg carton. My house is around 77-79 degrees.

How long can the eggs sit before they go into the incubator?

Any other info. would be much appreciated. Again, we know what to do once they go into the incubator, we had 100% hatch rate with just 4 eggs last time, I just need to know about the before the incubator process.

Thank you!

Carla

 

[TwoCrows]

After collecting your eggs, you can set them after only 24-48 hours. You want to get the air cell situated at the top of the egg. Set them in egg cartons with the large end up. If your house is 77 to 79 degrees, I wouldn't wait more than a couple days to get them incubating, as at these temps, they are starting to grow, even at a very slow rate.

 

[quailchick]

Thank you for the info! You are always such a big help!

I have one egg that is older than that, and I don't know which one that is now, so I will just put it in the incubator tomorrow and hope for the best! I found one egg at 8 oclock this morning and two more eggs this afternoon, so will tomorrow evening be okay?

Carla

 

[TwoCrows]

Yep....tomorrow will do. Carla, good luck with the hatch!

 

[wildmountainboy]

Hi Carla, I see that you had 100% hatch rate with your Bob white eggs and I was wondering if you could give me some advice in regards to temperature and Humidity. I incubated once before and 11 out of 12 eggs successfully hatched, But I was using a borrowed little giant incubator and "eye balling" the water level in the reservoir. I got lucky I suppose because I was only guessing.

Now a few years later I am incubating 15 eggs form my own Tennessee Red hen in a homemade Incubator. I have a digital thermometer that also gives the % humidity and the daily Highs & lows for both I have the temp steady at 102* with a low of 99* and my % humidity hi of 55% and low of 51%. I am setting my eggs now according to the information on this thread.

Do you have any advise that will help me with hatch rate?

 

[quailchick]

Well, I have to tell you, I incubated 4 eggs. Just 4. And all of them hatched. One egg I had to pick the bird out of the shell, because the shell was pipped all around and it hadn't done anything for hours, so I picked her out. Good thing, she is my last remaining hen and she is the only one who ever laid an egg. I am down to just my breeding pair. The first one died of unknown causes. The second one was attacked by the breeding pair. I get enough eggs from the one hen for a nice Sunday breakfast for our family of 4.

I did not hatch another batch. I am waiting till we have a better setup. If you have any questions, Two Crow's is the person to ask.

Good luck!