Incubating quail eggs for the first time : )

[Marissa Van]

Oh how exciting!!! When should yours start laying? I think the breeder we got ours from said the middle of March my hens should start laying. I have 2 hens to a ro and I hope that works out okay. I don't have the biggest set up yet since we are just getting started but I think im going to buy the incubator this Friday so I can have it. I have heard that it matters a lot where at in the house its placed. I also am wondering if I REALLY need to buy the turners for the eggs. I do work full time and have kids so im pretty busy, could I turn them in the morning, after work and before bed?
Do you think that would work out?

 

[LindsayB]

My a&ms are a little over 3 weeks and I have 6. I have no clue which ones are roos and hens though. We'll just wait and see who crows. Lol. I also have 6 tuxs under a week another a&m and Rosetta. I don't have the turners for my little giant but I'm home most of the day. I turned them around 7 am, early afternoon and then before bed.

 

[Marissa Van]

Hmm I wonder if I turned them at 6am then again at 4pm and then again at like 10pm if that would work? What do you think?

How exciting...You can tell by their coloring which ones are hens and roosters!

 

[Ironsun10]

Hi,

6am, 4pm and 10pm will be just fine. Even though there is a time difference between the turns, the embryo will come to no harm. Any odd number of turns apart from one is fine. I'm sure the "mother" quail in the wild hasn't got a watch.

Ironsun.

 

[Marissa Van]

Okay thanks I also am curious how do you keep track of how you turn them? Do you have to turn them a certain way or flip them upside down or anything crazy? or do u just rotate them every few hours?

 

[Ironsun10]

Hi,

If you lay the egg flat on a towel (or something similar to stop it rolling about) Mark one side with a X rotate the egg 180 degrees and mark with a O, this way you can keep track of which way the egg goes.......... X -O-X -O X- etc.

Ironsun.

 

[LindsayB]

How can you tell apart your a&ms by coloring? I have 2 I think are females, only BC they are enormous

 

[Marissa Van]

By the coloring the makes chest are more golden color and the females are speckled All over

 

[LindsayB]

Oh OK you mean the regular wild type coturnix. A&ms are all white

 

[Marissa Van]

Yes mine look like this