Incubating Quail Eggs

[pjquail]

Hi,
I just recently got 2 dozen bobwhite quail eggs to incubate. I've read on numerous other sites (including this one) that you should always start getting your incubator up and running almost a week before you get your eggs to regulate the temperature and humidity. I have a homemade incubator that I made out of: a Styrofoam cooler, a 25 watt light bulb (recommended by lots of people apparently), a temp. & humidity monitor, a sponge, and a bowl/pan of water. The temperature for incubating quail eggs is 99.5-101 F if I'm correct; And the humidity (so I've heard) should be around 40-45% until the last three days-which it should be raised to approx. 65% (please tell me if I'm wrong!) So my bator has been running for almost 6 hours today and I am having trouble regulating the temp. and humidity still. My temperature is either at 97 or 102 constantly and won't budge from either extremes; And my humidity will not go above 31% no matter how many sponges and water bowls I put inside! I heard that it's not how much water you put in the incubator, but it is the surface area of the water in it. But like I said-I tried that and the humidity level still will not budge. I really would appreciate some help, due to my eggs arriving 2 days earlier than expected! Thanks, I hope you can please help

 

[chickster5003]

Eggs take a week before chances decrease so just take your time and figure out your incubator, I have found putting a towel over your incubator will help stabalzie your temp and humidity

 

[Jedwards]

I second what chickster said. How do you change the temperature?

 

[pjquail]

Thanks for your input. I've been regulating the temperature by poking some little air holes in the sides and top of the incubator and also a golf ball sized hole directly across from the bulb; I also have wedged a styrofoam rectangle in front of the bulb too to block some of the heat, which has been working great! I have been at a steady temp. of 99-100 for a couple hours now, so that solves 1/2 of my problem. I also have read on a couple of threads, that laying a wet cloth/small towel in a container full of warm water helps with increasing humidity-and that has worked very well also. My humidity has raised from 31% to 45% which is supposedly the correct humidity level for quail (please correct me if I'm wrong). Thanks so much again for all your input

I also have a couple other questions if you can answer them:
~ What do you feed your baby quail/chicks?
~ How many times do YOU turn your eggs for the best hatching rate?

 

[Jedwards]

For my coturnix quail I put the chick starter crumble in the blender to grind it up smaller so they wouldn't choke on it since they're so tiny, also I put marbles in their water so they couldn't drown or get soaking wet. I used an automatic egg turner when I incubated mine and I think it turned the eggs 5 times a day? I know when you hand turn eggs you normally do around 3 turns a day. Hope this helps!

 

[pjquail]

Thanks a lot Jedwards! Since I have a homemade incubator I don't have an automatic turner; I just turn the eggs by hand 4 times a day (I heard that the more you turn the eggs the better the hatch rate?) I already have my chick brooder set up with marbles in the water, and I'm still deciding what kind of chick starter feed to go with (non-medicated) Any recommendations? Thanks for the blender tip, definitely will try that when the chicks hatch.

 

[Jedwards]

I was raising silkie chicks at the time of my last quail hatch so I just used the Non-Medicated Chick Starter I bought from tractor supply but there is also game bird starter that's available if you'd be more interested in that. I was skeptical about the blender tip when I first heard about it but then I tried it and I'll never go back to a grinder again haha! Glad to help!

 

[pjquail]

Is the brand 'DuMOR'? I would order some from Tractor Supply but the shipping is like $12 and I don't have a tractor supply local. It's 4 hours away

 

[Jedwards]

Yes that should be fine actually I think that's one of the brands tractor supply carries!

 

[pjquail]

Thanks for all your help! And do you know the answers to any of these questions:
~When brooding bobwhite quail do you have to use a red brooding lamp? Can it be a regular one?
~Do you know anything about ACURITE temp. & humidity monitors? I have one that does well, but someone said it doesn't measure humidity correctly???
~Is it true that the more times you turn your eggs per day the better the hatch rate? I've heard that from a couple of people.

Thanks Again!