Incubating Button Quail Eggs

[Pyxis]

I'm currently incubating button quail eggs for the first time and I'm looking for a little advice. What does everyone use as the temperature when they incubate buttons? And the humidity? I have found that 30% humidity works best for me for chicken eggs - do you typically use the same humidity you use for chicken eggs, or do you need to go higher?

Currently I have my temperature set to 99.5 and have been keeping the humidity at around 30%. I'm about a week in. I haven't candled since the eggs are so tiny I'm afraid I'd break one if I tried.

 

[007Sean]

Quail eggs typically need a tad bit more humidity than chicken eggs. I run my humidity at 40-45% but you need to run your humidity at whatever works best for your incubation practices. I don't candle button quail eggs....too small, about all you can tell is if they are fertile, if their dark.

 

[JaeG]

I second the higher humidity as they are so much smaller than chicken eggs with thinner shells. I use 45% humidity for all my quail eggs, bumping it up to 80% for lock down. The high lock down humidity is so that I can open the incubator to remove hatched chicks (who shouldn't be left in the incubator for more than 24 hours at the absolute most) once they've dried off. Quail chicks need to start eating quite quickly after hatch, unlike chicken chicks who can go for a few days without food.

I've just converted the temperature I use to incubate (I work in Celsius) and it's exactly what yours is so you're good there. If you want to candle them you need a good, strong, small light. I find my cellphone flash light is perfect.

Use a heat lamp with quail chicks - Mama heatpads or Electric Hens don't seem to work for them for some reason. And make sure there's lots of food scattered around your brooder for the first few days until they know where the food dish is. Also you need something with good grip in the brooder. They are prone to leg problems and anti slip matting is fantastic for them. Paper towels aren't grippy enough. And marbles or a special waterer is essential - I've had a button chick drown in 3mm of water!

Start out with a small brooder - the chicks chill very easily so if they are too far from the heat lamp they won't be able to make it back to get warm. I put a fuzzy cloth under the heat lamp and some choose to climb up on it to get closer to the heat and others like to snuggle under it as if it were their mother which is really good for strengthening their little legs. Quail chicks really push up into their mothers feathers (under their wings really) to get warm so the cloth needs to be folded so they have space to do that.

Good luck with your hatch - they are so teeny and cute!

 

[BantyChooks]

I run 50% for quail until lockdown. They lose weight easy.

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to increase the humidity and keep my fingers crossed that something hatches on day 16.

 

[Pyxis]

Well, today is day 16 and I have one pip so far

I'm really not expecting much since these were shipped, so we'll see what happens.

 

[AQuailNamedFrancis]

Awesome. They are really cool. When they hatch send pics!

 

[dpenning]

Well, today is day 16 and I have one pip so far

I'm really not expecting much since these were shipped, so we'll see what happens.

You might be surprised, I had a 73%ish hatch rate with shipped eggs on my first try hatching quail. Wound up with more than I expected! Once they started they went like popcorn. Pics required, good luck!

 

[Pyxis]

You might be surprised, I had a 73%ish hatch rate with shipped eggs on my first try hatching quail. Wound up with more than I expected! Once they started they went like popcorn. Pics required, good luck!

Thanks! Maybe I'll get a good hatch rate then I'll have to see what they're doing when I'm home from work.

 

[Pyxis]

Well, I've got four out so far They are absolutely tiny little things.

About how long does it usually take them from the time they pip to the time they hatch?