5 healthy chicks so far, more pipping
They are so cute
They are so cute
It Is Hatch Day. Eggtopsy Result totals and chick pics.
- Thread starter TCollier
- Start date
How many have hatched so far out of your 120?
- Thread starter
- #53
Well as of this morning I have 33 living chicks out of 120 shipped eggs and the 118 that made it in the bator. Dropped 2 so that is my fault. I had about 9 or 10 die in the shells after pipping. A few were backwards in the shells but not sure why the others died. Not the hatch I was hoping for but it is my best hatch percentage so far. Just not having a lot of luck with shipped quail eggs. Got 24 out of 28 Silkie chickens to hatch in the same incubator the week before I set these quail eggs so not quite sure what the issue is. If no more have hatched by the time I get home I am pulling the eggs out and pitching them. It is day 20 now and they have had more than enough time to hatch.
Specifically the types these babys are as follows.
Yellow are Coturnix Texas A&M.
Brown are Coturnix Jumbo Browns.
I have the quail to raise and enjoy but also after I get a good breeding stock I will raise them for the eggs and to eat. My pen that they will eventually move into is 8 x 10 on the ground and the sheltered area is 4 x 8 with heat and electric and automatic watering system and feeding system. The run area is 6 x 8 and covered to protect them from rain or snow. Should be nice and cozy for them all winter and hopefully get them laying with the lights on instead of waiting until spring. I have my coop for the Silkies set up the same way.
Maybe someone can help me out on the hatch rate issue with such low numbers. My heat min/max range was 98.9 to 100.4 but generally stayed at 99.5. My humidity was between 51% and 55% up until lockdown and then I added humidity pads and brought it up to 63% to 65%. Eggs were in auto turner until lockdown then I layed them in the hatching tray on their sides. Did not open the bator since lockdown except for once yesterday to remove the chicks that were dry and fluffy ready for the brooder.
I don't know I guess I could add a second thermostat in the incubator to keep the temp more constant and I know I can get the humidity up more if needed but things are just not adding up to me. From everything I have read and been told I should be fine. I mean when this batch started hatching they hatched quickly. My Silkies hatched great in the same bator too 24 of 28. Any ideas/suggestions????????????????
Specifically the types these babys are as follows.
Yellow are Coturnix Texas A&M.
Brown are Coturnix Jumbo Browns.
I have the quail to raise and enjoy but also after I get a good breeding stock I will raise them for the eggs and to eat. My pen that they will eventually move into is 8 x 10 on the ground and the sheltered area is 4 x 8 with heat and electric and automatic watering system and feeding system. The run area is 6 x 8 and covered to protect them from rain or snow. Should be nice and cozy for them all winter and hopefully get them laying with the lights on instead of waiting until spring. I have my coop for the Silkies set up the same way.
Maybe someone can help me out on the hatch rate issue with such low numbers. My heat min/max range was 98.9 to 100.4 but generally stayed at 99.5. My humidity was between 51% and 55% up until lockdown and then I added humidity pads and brought it up to 63% to 65%. Eggs were in auto turner until lockdown then I layed them in the hatching tray on their sides. Did not open the bator since lockdown except for once yesterday to remove the chicks that were dry and fluffy ready for the brooder.
I don't know I guess I could add a second thermostat in the incubator to keep the temp more constant and I know I can get the humidity up more if needed but things are just not adding up to me. From everything I have read and been told I should be fine. I mean when this batch started hatching they hatched quickly. My Silkies hatched great in the same bator too 24 of 28. Any ideas/suggestions????????????????
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wow Tom, that's a shame! soooooo sorry you had trouble with your hatch, something is definitely off ..
I was kidding about the eating part. I am aware that is what is done alot with quail. I think the Button quail are the cutest things!
Quote:
they are Coturnix/ Japanese Quail. Yep , sorry to bum you out but alot of folks raise them for the freezer....
also for their eggs and for pets and ...uhhhh.. b/c they are "habit forming"...look at those little guys ... aren't they toooooo CUTE? even when you have to continually clean up after them ...lol
i raise mine for fun and eggs too i guess...
i'm a bird person . We used to have Finches,Cockatiels, Pionus , African Greys ,Budgies etc. But my DH has COPD and we cannot have birds in the house any more...this is my solution to that....
Quote:
they are Coturnix/ Japanese Quail. Yep , sorry to bum you out but alot of folks raise them for the freezer....
also for their eggs and for pets and ...uhhhh.. b/c they are "habit forming"...look at those little guys ... aren't they toooooo CUTE? even when you have to continually clean up after them ...lol
i raise mine for fun and eggs too i guess...
i'm a bird person . We used to have Finches,Cockatiels, Pionus , African Greys ,Budgies etc. But my DH has COPD and we cannot have birds in the house any more...this is my solution to that....
Quote:
I don't raise humidity in lockdown. I found out it does more harm than good to quail eggs. I keep at steady temp and humidity throughout incubation and great hatches come out. BUT everyone has their own opinion on humidity.
Could ventilation be a problem? Probably not, since you hatched silkie eggs...Maybe get quail eggs from a different breeder and try again (to see if maybe there were some genetic problems in the embryos....that's another possibility...remember I have the mind of a geneticist at times
If they died in the shell, they were just too weak and weren't meant to be...you don't need weak in your flock
It seems like you did everything right on...temp seems find, humidity...not too bad, I am thinking the eggs may have been mishandled by post office even.
BUT on the bright side you got some coturnix babies, so give yourself a pat on the back! COngrats!!!
I don't raise humidity in lockdown. I found out it does more harm than good to quail eggs. I keep at steady temp and humidity throughout incubation and great hatches come out. BUT everyone has their own opinion on humidity.
Could ventilation be a problem? Probably not, since you hatched silkie eggs...Maybe get quail eggs from a different breeder and try again (to see if maybe there were some genetic problems in the embryos....that's another possibility...remember I have the mind of a geneticist at times
BUT on the bright side you got some coturnix babies, so give yourself a pat on the back! COngrats!!!
Cool. Babies. Baby birds are sooooo cute at this stage.
I know some don't, but I open every unhatched egg to see at what point they stopped. I track unfertilized, started and died, and grew and stopped, I always find a few that grew until about the time of Lockdown. And theres a few that weren't strong enough to peck the membrane. Don't want them anyway if you are after healthy chicks for breeding. These numbers will give you a hint of the problem that you are facing.
Are you letting the shipped eggs set and settle before you set them. Even driving across town to get mine I let them set 4 hours before I started the hatches. Shipped people say 12-24 hours.
Shipping temperatures. I just got eggs from Kentucky and I am worried about them. I didn't waite long enough in the year, I fear. The temp here are still in high 90's with heat index over 100 degrees. It could be a problem with shipping temperatures if they are coming from a hot area of the country.
Next hatch try leaving them in the egg trays instead of laying them down. I do. I just detach the trays from the turner.
I had 2 thermometers in my bator and thought that was enough. Last time I put 3 in and right now I have 4. I have one side that is 2 degrees higher. I average my temps and make sure that side doesn't go over 100. So I know that the back of my bator is the low side and those eggs are last to hatch. But I do get some to hatch from that row. So, like right now the eggs I bought get the front and favored side. Best hatch from there. In winter I am getting a new top and fan for mine.
DH says yes it is working but somethings not right so I am going to get a new fan.
Hope these ideas help.
But I want to know. How are you going to gather eggs in that football field you have set up for your babies. Have you gotten the little footballs yet for them to play with?
WE STILL WANT MORE PIC'S
I am still waiting. You have a hatch and that gives you bragging rights.... so bring those babies on stage.
edited: cause I just realized, you have 33 to choose your first breeders from.
I know some don't, but I open every unhatched egg to see at what point they stopped. I track unfertilized, started and died, and grew and stopped, I always find a few that grew until about the time of Lockdown. And theres a few that weren't strong enough to peck the membrane. Don't want them anyway if you are after healthy chicks for breeding. These numbers will give you a hint of the problem that you are facing.
Are you letting the shipped eggs set and settle before you set them. Even driving across town to get mine I let them set 4 hours before I started the hatches. Shipped people say 12-24 hours.
Shipping temperatures. I just got eggs from Kentucky and I am worried about them. I didn't waite long enough in the year, I fear. The temp here are still in high 90's with heat index over 100 degrees. It could be a problem with shipping temperatures if they are coming from a hot area of the country.
Next hatch try leaving them in the egg trays instead of laying them down. I do. I just detach the trays from the turner.
I had 2 thermometers in my bator and thought that was enough. Last time I put 3 in and right now I have 4. I have one side that is 2 degrees higher. I average my temps and make sure that side doesn't go over 100. So I know that the back of my bator is the low side and those eggs are last to hatch. But I do get some to hatch from that row. So, like right now the eggs I bought get the front and favored side. Best hatch from there. In winter I am getting a new top and fan for mine.
DH says yes it is working but somethings not right so I am going to get a new fan.
Hope these ideas help.
But I want to know. How are you going to gather eggs in that football field you have set up for your babies. Have you gotten the little footballs yet for them to play with?
WE STILL WANT MORE PIC'S
edited: cause I just realized, you have 33 to choose your first breeders from.
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- Thread starter
- #58
Heck I am still getting chicks. I got 3 more today and I have 2 more pipped and more eggs moving around. This is crazy. Here I am on day 20 and they are still popping out. Anyone ever had this happen or go this long? I was going to pitch the eggs tonight but now I am stumped and wondering how long I should keep them in hte incubator.
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Quote:
Now I am thinking that the heat is not being distributed properly if you are getting delayed hatch.....
Now I am thinking that the heat is not being distributed properly if you are getting delayed hatch.....
Tom don't pitch the eggs give them another day. And before you pitch or anything else ,do JJMR's float test.
Why won't you let us see more pictures.
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