Oof what day am i on?

[BudgiesQuailsChickens]

I am letting one of my broody quail hatch her eggs. I took a couple away because she had a lot. I wasnt sure what day to count as day 1. Now i have eggs in the incubator but i have no clue what day im on. She started sitting steadily about a week and a half ago (maybe more). I cant see into most of the eggs i candled, but in one i can see movement. My biggest worry is that i will leave the turner on and when they try to pip they will get messed up. Is there a way to give me a clue of which day im on? Will they be fine if i leave the turner on until the first one pips?

 

[pozees2]

You need quail people for a better answer than I've got, and it partly depends on which type of quail - hatch can be anywhere from 16 to 19 days, If I'm remembering correctly - Buttons I think are 16 days, Coturnix 18-19. Can you tell how many in the incubator are fertilized? Like, can you see veining in the ones you didn't see movement in? For the one you saw movement in, how full did the shell look and how big was the air cell? Usually when they are close to hatching the air cell will be about 1/4-1/3 of the way down the deep side, give or take, and the part that isn't air cell is all dark and filled with chick. You will get MUCH better help from @Kiki and @Nabiki

 

[pozees2]

Also this thread should be immensely helpful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/➡-quail-hatch-along.1276785/

 

[Kiki]

What type of quail?
Can you get a clear picture by shining a phone light into the air cell side of the egg?


Take a wild guess on what day you think the eggs would be on today... You can stop turning the eggs 5 to 7 days before they're due and it won't hurt.

I've done this myself and didn't have any problems.
Turning is more important during the first days of incubating and not the end of the incubation process.

 

[BudgiesQuailsChickens]

Thank you for all the help! I can't believe I forgot to mention it, but theyre coturnix quail. I will get pictures tommorow as it is pretty late right now. But thanks for your quick responses!

 

[BudgiesQuailsChickens]

What type of quail?
Can you get a clear picture by shining a phone light into the air cell side of the egg?


Take a wild guess on what day you think the eggs would be on today... You can stop turning the eggs 5 to 7 days before they're due and it won't hurt.

I've done this myself and didn't have any problems.
Turning is more important during the first days of incubating and not the end of the incubation process.

I know we are at least halfway through, so i might just stop turning them, as my main concern was that they will be messed up when they get ready to hatch. Could i just start lockdown after the first pip? Or is lockdown not that inportant?

 

[Kiki]

I know we are at least halfway through, so i might just stop turning them, as my main concern was that they will be messed up when they get ready to hatch. Could i just start lockdown after the first pip? Or is lockdown not that inportant?

Lockdown to me...is stopping turning.

I don't raise the humidity until I see an external pip and then I don't raise it much.

Stopping turning them a few days earlier than most people do won't hurt.

 

[BudgiesQuailsChickens]

Lockdown to me...is stopping turning.

I don't raise the humidity until I see an external pip and then I don't raise it much.

Stopping turning them a few days earlier than most people do won't hurt.

Ok awesome, i will do that. Thanks for the help!