Humidity for California Quail

[LyrebirdJacki]

Hello,

I just had a disaster first hatch of California quails, with just one out of 24 eggs hatching successfully. One other egg had a dead chick and another looked pipped but just black inside and no movement. I haven't checked all the eggs but I am going to leave them in the incubator for a few more days (they hatched on day 22).

I called the supplier of the eggs and he said my humidity was wrong. He said my humidity needs to be 80-90% on lockdown (which I can't find written anywhere) where as mine was sitting on 70% (I live in the tropics where you cannot get it much lower unless you keep the bator in the airconditioning all day) which I even consider to be too high compared to what it says all over the internet at 65%. He said they need to be 65% through the first 20 days and 80-90% during the last 3 days.

What is the correct humidity for california quail?

I think it may be the stock, as I have successfully hatched cotournix, king/button quail, pigeons, chickens, turkeys and bobwhites on 70% humidity on lockdown, in the same incubator. I even hatched my own cotournix quail eggs (from my birds) the day before in the same incubator (it is sectioned off so the cotournix's didn't mess around with the valleys) with no issue. This is an interstate breeder and his eggs were half the price as anyone else's in Australia plus he is very early considering their season has not started or is just beginning. Which makes me come to believe that they may have not even been fertile (and yes, I didn't candle them as I didn't want to mess up the humidity) in the first place.

It shouldn't be hygiene, I clean that thing very thorough after every use!

Any ideas anyone?

By the way is there a sales classifieds section on BYC?

 

[ylly]

I keep mine around 45 to 55% and no more then 60 to 65 % at lock down. It's the eggs are not good or the incubator may have been running hot maybe. I get around 90% hatch or better from my own eggs and usually much less from shipped eggs as low as 20%

 

[LyrebirdJacki]

None of the eggs were fertile except for 3. The one chick that hatched died not long after. I think it was the stock. Got some more from someone else and am going to do it at 55%.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello,

I just had a disaster first hatch of California quails, with just one out of 24 eggs hatching successfully. One other egg had a dead chick and another looked pipped but just black inside and no movement. I haven't checked all the eggs but I am going to leave them in the incubator for a few more days (they hatched on day 22).

I called the supplier of the eggs and he said my humidity was wrong. He said my humidity needs to be 80-90% on lockdown (which I can't find written anywhere) where as mine was sitting on 70% (I live in the tropics where you cannot get it much lower unless you keep the bator in the airconditioning all day) which I even consider to be too high compared to what it says all over the internet at 65%. He said they need to be 65% through the first 20 days and 80-90% during the last 3 days.

What is the correct humidity for california quail?

I think it may be the stock, as I have successfully hatched cotournix, king/button quail, pigeons, chickens, turkeys and bobwhites on 70% humidity on lockdown, in the same incubator. I even hatched my own cotournix quail eggs (from my birds) the day before in the same incubator (it is sectioned off so the cotournix's didn't mess around with the valleys) with no issue. This is an interstate breeder and his eggs were half the price as anyone else's in Australia plus he is very early considering their season has not started or is just beginning. Which makes me come to believe that they may have not even been fertile (and yes, I didn't candle them as I didn't want to mess up the humidity) in the first place.

It shouldn't be hygiene, I clean that thing very thorough after every use!

Any ideas anyone?

By the way is there a sales classifieds section on BYC?

Yeah, 65% humidity is way to high during incubation and 80 to 90% will drown the babies at lock down. 50 to 55% during incubation is recommended and 60 to 65% humidity at lock down should work well for you. If you live in a very wet area, you may need to lower these humidity levels or raise them if you live in an arid environment.

 

[chrisarvor]

My incubator is in my basement which has ah high humidity
so should i lower the humidity in my incubators?????????

 

[chrisarvor]

f

 

[dc3085]

My incubator is in my basement which has ah high humidity
so should i lower the humidity in my incubators?????????

Just do your best to keep it around 50-55% during incubation. When you lock down run it up to 60% or so. I keep mine in the most humid place in my house but you are creating an environment inside the incubator so it doesnt matter what the humidity outside of it is as long as the humidity inside is on target.