Incubating Grocery store quail eggs

[Momto6kiddos]

Hi everyone. I bought 30 quail eggs from the grocery store 2 weeks ago. Like many, I had seen people supposedly being able to hatch quail that way so I wanted to give it a try. I did a ton of research over the last year, waiting for an opportunity to actually find quail eggs ( they aren't often carried locally). Finally, I found some!

So, anyway. I put 30 eggs in my homemade incubator and patiently waited 7 days so I could candle them. I was excited to see growth in one of them. I waited 3 more days and candled again to see if there was anymore development in the other eggs. Nothing. So, I took out 29 of the eggs and now have just the one. I'm very excited that a $5 investment is going to lead to a chick!

We are now on day 13, if we count the day it went in as day 1. I candled again yesterday to be sure it was still alive and the chick was very active inside. It has to go on lockdown soon but I'm not sure if that should be day 14 or 15 if I'm counting the day it went in as day 1.

Also, a thought occurred to me. How do I know what type of quail I'm hatching? I've purchased more eggs (hatching eggs this time) that should arrive 2 or so days after the current chick is due to hatch with an assumption that I'm incubating a coutornix quail. Is there an easy way to tell from either the egg or once it hatches what kind it is? Thanks!

 

[Pennys Mama]

Hi everyone. I bought 30 quail eggs from the grocery store 2 weeks ago. Like many, I had seen people supposedly being able to hatch quail that way so I wanted to give it a try. I did a ton of research over the last year, waiting for an opportunity to actually find quail eggs ( they aren't often carried locally). Finally, I found some!

So, anyway. I put 30 eggs in my homemade incubator and patiently waited 7 days so I could candle them. I was excited to see growth in one of them. I waited 3 more days and candled again to see if there was anymore development in the other eggs. Nothing. So, I took out 29 of the eggs and now have just the one. I'm very excited that a $5 investment is going to lead to a chick!

We are now on day 13, if we count the day it went in as day 1. I candled again yesterday to be sure it was still alive and the chick was very active inside. It has to go on lockdown soon but I'm not sure if that should be day 14 or 15 if I'm counting the day it went in as day 1.

Also, a thought occurred to me. How do I know what type of quail I'm hatching? I've purchased more eggs (hatching eggs this time) that should arrive 2 or so days after the current chick is due to hatch with an assumption that I'm incubating a coutornix quail. Is there an easy way to tell from either the egg or once it hatches what kind it is? Thanks!

Day 1 is the day you set the eggs.

We'll help you with what kind it is, you just hafta post photos once it hatches!!! Good luck. You raising the humidity at lockdown?

 

[Kiki]

Can you post pictures of the egg and your bator?

 

[Momto6kiddos]

Day 1 is the day you set the eggs.

We'll help you with what kind it is, you just hafta post photos once it hatches!!! Good luck. You raising the humidity at lockdown?

I do plan on increasing the humidity, yes. Right now it's holding fairly steady between 45% and 50%. I'm going to increase to 65%-70%.

 

[Momto6kiddos]

Can you post pictures of the egg and your bator?

This is the best I can get with it being dark lol

 

[Kiki]

This is the best I can get with it being dark lol

Coturnix egg.

 

[Momto6kiddos]

Coturnix egg.

Thank you! I thought so which is why I ordered the other coturnix but then realized I didn't actually know for sure!

 

[Kiki]

I do plan on increasing the humidity, yes. Right now it's holding fairly steady between 45% and 50%. I'm going to increase to 65%-70%.

Next time, when you set your ordered eggs...keep your humidity lower around 30%.
45-50% is way too high in my opinion.
Also...there is no real need to raise it until you see the first external pip and then I still wouldn't raise it above 50%.

 

[Momto6kiddos]

Next time, when you set your ordered eggs...keep your humidity lower around 30%.
45-50% is way too high in my opinion.
Also...there is no real need to raise it until you see the first external pip and then I still wouldn't raise it above 50%.

There are so many conflicting sources out there! Is it too late for me to lower for my one egg?

 

[Kiki]

There are so many conflicting sources out there! Is it too late for me to lower for my one egg?

Yes...trying to change the humidity this late in the game is not going to do anything.