I May Have Screwed Up

[SkyWarrior]

I set 112 coturnix (quail) eggs in the hovabator and had it turn for 12 days.

I took out the turner. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the temperature up to 100F. To make matters worse, the wet paper towels I put in there to bump the humidity made the other paper towels under some of the eggs wet.

So, I removed those and put the eggs on a cloth towel.

The incubator is keeping its temperature at 100F. I think I may have heard a few peeps. I don't know.

So, how badly did I mess up this hatch? It is day 14.

 

[Melissa Rose]

Hopefully not

. I've been reading up on quail eggs since I just put some into the incubator and since they need higher humidity I have read some suggestions to actually mist the eggs. I don't think the damp paper towels would hurt them. They are supposedly a little suscebtible to chills but if it wasn't for a long time it should be ok I would think

 

[dbcooper02]

Seems to me that coturnix hatch in 17 days so I think you might be a little bit early. I don't do anything different for quail than I do for chicken or duck eggs as far as temp and humidity are concerned. I often incubate them all together. Yours should be fine.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Hopefully not

. I've been reading up on quail eggs since I just put some into the incubator and since they need higher humidity I have read some suggestions to actually mist the eggs. I don't think the damp paper towels would hurt them. They are supposedly a little suscebtible to chills but if it wasn't for a long time it should be ok I would think

Yeah, I heard about misting too. Not so sure about doing something like that, but I am trying to up the humidity in there. I wish the darn hovabator had a temperature select on it. I'm about ready to cobble up a temperature sensor and fix the rheostat to it.

Seems to me that coturnix hatch in 17 days so I think you might be a little bit early. I don't do anything different for quail than I do for chicken or duck eggs as far as temp and humidity are concerned. I often incubate them all together. Yours should be fine.

I'm not sure now what the incubation period is. I've heard 14 days. I've heard 16 days. I've heard 17 days. I think it just depends on when the silly little things want to hatch out. I'm keeping an eye on them for 20 days.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Today is day 19. I was washing my hands and a heard a "peep!" Soft, but there. I went over to the incubator and opened it because I couldn't see anything except unhatched eggs through the windows. One egg was open. But where was the chick?

Found it under the thermometer! Gosh, these quail chicks are TINY! And so darn-tootin' cute!

I looked at the other eggs. Some look like they might have pipped. I moved the new quail to a safer place in the incubator.

So, maybe I didn't screw up. Maybe this is a late hatch with the temperature fluctuations. .

 

[Melissa Rose]

Today is day 19. I was washing my hands and a heard a "peep!" Soft, but there. I went over to the incubator and opened it because I couldn't see anything except unhatched eggs through the windows. One egg was open. But where was the chick?

Found it under the thermometer! Gosh, these quail chicks are TINY! And so darn-tootin' cute!

I looked at the other eggs. Some look like they might have pipped. I moved the new quail to a safer place in the incubator.

So, maybe I didn't screw up. Maybe this is a late hatch with the temperature fluctuations. .

Yeahhhhh

Now I'm getting all egggcited

 

[spikennipper]

Don't open that bator, keep it closed! I know the temptation is there but they need the humidity now more than any other time, they will pip and hatch fine no need to move or touch them till they are all out

congrats on your hatch!