Not having anyluck with incubating coturnix

[fatsu]

I set the first 4 eggs that my hens had laid me and was able to hatch 2 of the 4 chicks out. Since then I've had 100% failure on all additional eggs. I just went thru the bator and threw out 20-30 eggs that were on their 20th day. Not one seemed to have developed at all. I had buttons in with the same batch and they hatched out at a rate of 70% about 4-5 days ago and seem to be doing well. I run a forced air styrofoam. Hovabator with auto egg turner. I keep the temp at or near 99.5 and its stable humidity at 40% until the last week at 60%. Is there anything that needs to be done that would be that much different than the buttons hatch requirement. I thought maybe my eggs just weren't fertile so I cracked some of my fresh eggs to do a check all 5 of 5 I cracked were fertile. Any tips or advice would be great.

 

[TedJan92_in_Idaho]

Sounds like the male isn't doing his job

 

[fatsu]

Was my thoughts so I Started cracking eggs cracked 5 all 5 fertile

I reset today so going to monitor them a little closer this time and hope fore better results.

 

[FenDruadin]

I can't think of a single reason other than infertility that would cause no development at those temps. MAYBE some sort of infection or disease in the bator? Has it been disinfected recently? I know Hovabators are a PAIN to clean and disinfect, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Have you checked the accuracy of your thermometer recently? Could the temps be wrong? Humidity won't affect early development--if they're going to develop, they'll develop at any humidity. It mainly affects whether they're able to hatch at the end.

Is it possible that they're fertile but maybe the rooster's genes aren't viable? I don't know whether that's possible or not, but the fact that you hatched some from the first batch but not since sure seems to point to a rooster problem...

Those are my best guesses. Sorry for the trouble--must be really disappointing!

 

[the Pollo Loco]

Quote:
Maybe this was the problem, did you check any of the 1st eggs they laid or did you get excited they laid and set them without checking for fertility? by now, yes they are fertile...

 

[fatsu]

Quote:
Maybe this was the problem, did you check any of the 1st eggs they laid or did you get excited they laid and set them without checking for fertility? by now, yes they are fertile...

The birds were mature when I received them 3-4 months ish. Out of the first 4 (which of course I got excited and threw them into the bator right away) 2 hatched and are doing great. I just cleaned everything out to try a new batch. Which should be ready around the 24th if I did my math right. I try to mess with the bator as little as possible just to re-up the water levels when they get down. I don't candle the quail eggs but am wondering at what point I could to see if they are doing anything. I'll see how this next hatch turns out. Thanks for everyones tips and comments.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
Maybe this was the problem, did you check any of the 1st eggs they laid or did you get excited they laid and set them without checking for fertility? by now, yes they are fertile...

The birds were mature when I received them 3-4 months ish. Out of the first 4 (which of course I got excited and threw them into the bator right away) 2 hatched and are doing great. I just cleaned everything out to try a new batch. Which should be ready around the 24th if I did my math right. I try to mess with the bator as little as possible just to re-up the water levels when they get down. I don't candle the quail eggs but am wondering at what point I could to see if they are doing anything. I'll see how this next hatch turns out. Thanks for everyones tips and comments.

I candle mine about 10 days into the hatch and then again about day 15-16 I use a HB too in fact I have 2 of them so far I have hatched quiet a few chickens and chukars and probally 100's maybe 1000's of quail so far I run my RH a lkittle different then yours but this will not cause them to not develop coturnix will lay eggs even if the male is not doing his job you need 14+ hours of day light to keep them sexually active you also need the temp higher then about 50ish I lost power during Irene and my birds have started to moult I am just going to give them off for a while before I turn the lighting back on for a while

 

[rittert3]

I have the same bator and the one time I tryed cots I also had a zero hatch, I bought my eggs at a bird auction though and guessed the eggs were old.

ETA: I've hatched bobs and chickens with no problems.

 

[fatsu]

I've been doing some reading on hatching COTs I've seen everything from sit them the day they are laid, to allow them 5 days to settle before putting them In the incubator. I've tried both ways but didn't have luck either. I'm thinking this is maybe why I got such a good deal on them. Maybe my male is a dud

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
I have set them the day they were laid but I observed the male doing what he was supposed to be doing one way to get really large quail is to adjust the light to where they do not mature sexually about 8 hours a day this is true the other way too they need 14 + hr to stay busy we are only getting around 12 here where I am you may need to put lights on them at each end of the day