Incubation questions

[bcarthen]

I have attempted to hatch several batches of quail eggs that i recieved from a friend. None of them hatched. Out of every batch i have about 90% of them that progress and are alive up until lockdown but never hatch. I hatched out 15 chicken eggs with the quail eggs. Temp stays regulated at 99.6 and my humidity stays around 40-45 percent (which is my relative humitidy) until lockdown at which i increase it. Any help or tips?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Did you set the quail and chicken eggs so they would hatch at the same time or did you do a staggered hatch?
Did the quail internally pip before dying? Or did they pass before internal pip? Did the air cells grow large enough for them to safely pip into?
There are so many things that can result in failure to hatch.
> Parent bird health, age & genetics.
> Egg quality.
> Egg age & storage prior to incubation.
> Incubation techniques.

This is a good read ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-quail-eggs-and-brooding-quail-chicks

 

[bcarthen]

They were set to hatch at the same day (round about). They did not pip internally. there was 2 of the 10 eggs that the air cell grew to big. I am trying to hatch these for a friend. I cant tell you the age, health or quality of her birds. I just find it weird that all of my chicken eggs hatched but none of the quail hatched.

 

[Hasve]

Sanitze/disinfect your incubator and double check your temperature with another thermometer. I think it's different between still air incubators and forced air incubators when it comes to temperature settings. I have a forced air and keep the temperature at a steady 100.
I just had an almost circular/round (!) quail egg hatch, almost half of the egg was air sack, but it still hatched and the chick is fine.

 

[bcarthen]

The eggs have been in the bator for 1 month! I broke one open tonight and to my surprise I found a baby quail still alive! It appeared fully formed but had what appears to be a hook sack attached to its belly. When I rubbed the yolk sack it appeared to be coming out of the quail. I left the remaining eggs in the incubator. Any advice? Has anyone had eggs that took over 1 month to hatch?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

The eggs have been in the bator for 1 month! I broke one open tonight and to my surprise I found a baby quail still alive! It appeared fully formed but had what appears to be a hook sack attached to its belly. When I rubbed the yolk sack it appeared to be coming out of the quail. I left the remaining eggs in the incubator. Any advice? Has anyone had eggs that took over 1 month to hatch?

It sounds like your temperature "may" have been low. Did you calibrate your thermometer/hygrometer prior to using it for the hatch?

 

[bcarthen]

Yes. I calibrated it and also have 2 other thermometers in there. All read the same. I woke up this morning to two baby quail. I also hatched chickens with them with no problem.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Yes. I calibrated it and also have 2 other thermometers in there. All read the same. I woke up this morning to two baby quail. I also hatched chickens with them with no problem.

Well that's curious. I'm very happy to hear about your new baby quail!
I hope the others will be hatching right behind.

 

[007Sean]

I have attempted to hatch several batches of quail eggs that i recieved from a friend. None of them hatched. Out of every batch i have about 90% of them that progress and are alive up until lockdown but never hatch. I hatched out 15 chicken eggs with the quail eggs. Temp stays regulated at 99.6 and my humidity stays around 40-45 percent (which is my relative humitidy) until lockdown at which i increase it. Any help or tips?

Yorkshire Coop and Wickedchicken have answered your questions. The only thing I can add is, are you measuring the temps at the top of the eggs? If you measure the temps at the top of the eggs, you'll get a better reading of what the temp really is in the bator. Make sure the thermometers are not touching the eggs or the turner, if using one. Check the temp in the corners as well as the center. Temps will fluctuate from one area to another in the bator. Especially in "still air" bators.