I need help. Any suggestions?

[twsims210]

I have been raising coturnix for a few months now and have had a couple of successful hatches. The last two times I set eggs in the incubator I have had 0% being fertile. Around day 10 in the incubator I candled the eggs. There were no signs of development. The temperature stayed around 99.5 and the humidity arount 45-50%. Is it possible that my males are not fertile any more? I have my coturnix 1 male to 3 female ratio. The only other thing I thought might cause the change is the change in weather. It is cooling off a bit here in Texas, but it hasn't gotten below a low of 52 degrees and a high of around 75-80 degrees. I need help. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[JJMR794]

They Need More Light. Hens Will Lay(albeit A Lesser Volume Of Eggs) Dispite Shorter Daylight Periods, But Roos Need 14 Hrs Un-interupted Light Per Day. Temps In The 50's Should Not Effect Fertility.

 

[twsims210]

How do I add light without the risk of a fire?

 

[JJMR794]

Easiest Way I Have Found--- Mine Are In Wire Breeder Cages, So I Get Led Christmas Lights In White And String Them Around The Top Edge Of The Pens. The Led Lights Use The Least Amount Of Energy, Produce The Brightest Light For Size, And Are The Coolest Burning Lights.... You Can Actually Wrap Your Finger Around Them And Hold Them--- There's No Heat. Also You Can Run Someting Crazy Like 30 Strings In A Line On 1 Circuit Because They Dont Use Much Electricity. Now You Can Do The Same Thing With The Incandescent Mini Lights In Clear Or White, But They Dont Last 1/10th As Long As Leds, They Do Generate Heat, And They Can Be Power Hungry For Their Size As Opposed To Leds. I Have Led Strings 2+yrs Old In Use Today. The Incandescent Ones You'll Be Lucky To Get 6 Months Out Of Before They Start Blowing Bulbs And Producing "dark" Areas Along The String Where All The Bulbs Are Out Because Somewhere In The String A Single Bulb Has Burnt Out. They Work Quite Well Off Of Outdoor Timers... I Have 1 That Comes On At Dusk And Will Stay On For As Long As I Set It--- 1-2-3-4-6-8hrs Or All Night And Go Off At Dawn.

Got Any Dollar General Stores Or Big Lots Stores Nearby? If So They Sell The Led Christmas Lights And Outdoor Light Timers Cheap And Have Just Started Putting Them Out Around Here Last Week. If Not There's Always Walmart, But You'll Pay More There.

 

[twsims210]

Thank you so much! That is a great idea I had not thaught of. Should that increase fertility?

 

[JJMR794]

Absolutely