Incubating Coturnix Quail Eggs

[deviled]

It should be 99.9 to 100 for chickens...and humidity is def.important 45-50 during incubation during hatch 60-65
I had a successful hatch of 19 chickens out of 20 eggs...and a quail hatch 20 eggs 22 hatched. Good luck to you

 

[Coyotefur]

Thanks for the reply. The top shelf is perfect. I think I might get a strong heating element for the bottom.

Next questions if you don't care. I drilled 6 1/2inch hold in the side of the fridge for ventilation. Should that be enough? I have tape over them now.

 

[deviled]

I have a forced air incubator with only to vents.i keep mine plugged the whole time except when i add water to the sponge for humidity

 

[deviled]

If to much humidity your chicks could drown.not enough they will stick in the egg.you will have to watch your ventilation holes and see what the humidity .then cover or uncover to correct it

 

[deviled]

Make sure you have a hydrometer in there so you can get the temp and humidity at all times

 

[Coyotefur]

Got it thanks! What impact do the vent holes with enough O2 in the incubator?

 

[deviled]

It can build up condensation you just have to watch your ventilation..

 

[jarp87]

Update us Coyote.


anyone got some information, link, video about temperature effect on male/female hatchability ratio?

the closest i could get is this one, but its from 2011: http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/90/10/2402.long

also if it helps anyone:

egg indices on predetermination of sex: http://www.grjournals.com/portals/grjournals/JAPA/Vol5 Issue1/JAPA-2015-51-599-605.pdf

 

[LittleMissEmily]

I just ordered 48 coturnix hatching eggs!! eBay guy had 100% positive feedback, and the price was pretty good, so I'm already happy!!

 

[Kusanar]

I'm hoping to get into Coturnix soon, working on the pen design right now, hopefully will start building it soon. Just found someone on craigslist that sells hatching eggs and will even hatch them if you want! I don't have an incubator yet, and at least if I did it that way I could be sure that I enjoy the birds before spending money on an incubator.

Anyone have any specifics on incubator brands and types that are easy for a beginner but won't break the bank, (I looked at brinseas... yeah, I could buy a car for what 2 incubators cost... maybe later, but not right now) looking in the less than $200 range.

Also, turners, I have seen that you are supposed to get special quail turners, can you buy any brand turner for any brand incubator or do they have to match? Do you even really need the quail size or can you put cotton balls around the eggs or something to keep them from tipping over in the regular turner? I'm thinking about having chickens too at some point so if I could get something that could do double duty that would be great if possible (yes, I know, keep chickens and quail away from each other, don't hatch them at the same time in the same incubator, feed and handle quail before chickens, etc)