Paging Monarc23 need some help......

tknjk

Songster
12 Years
Nov 28, 2007
127
1
131
Abilene, TX
Today is day 14 in my coturnix quail incubation. I just took them out of the turner, and bumped up the humidity.
I have them all setting on the wire grate in the incubator. What should I look for now? I tried candling the eggs, and
I had no luck I used a bright bright flashlight, and couldn't see through any of the eggs. Maybe thats a good sign.
When should I see some signs of life, and assuming I actually did everything right, and have a couple hatch what do I
do after they hatch? Please if you have time be as detailed as possible I don't want to screw it up. I will be working on day
18, do I need to worry about anything if I'm not there also when they start to hatch? Thanks in advance.
 
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Ok, to start with Coturnix can hatch as early as day 16, so be ready for them! If you have some rubber shelf liner (or can get some) you should put it on top of the grate b/c the quail are so little that their feet can get stuck in the holes. After they hatch leave them in the incubator until they are fully dry. Then you can put them in your brooder with a heat lamp, food, and water. Make sure the water isn't deep enough for them to drown in...put some marbles or rocks in it. If the food isn't crumbled well you may have to break it down so it's small enough for them to eat.
 
I really hate to handle the eggs anymore than I have to, this grate is too large though you think?

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I used a shelf liner in my LG incubator. However I dont use anything in my Sears roebuck incubator and have not had one problem with the coturnix chicks. No splay leg or even hurt toies.

You're doing everything right, now just sit on those hands my dear and keep an eye out, day 15-18 could be anything from nothing, to pips, to rocking to HATCHING!
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They hatch very well, and with coturnix chicks, if chciks are having problems hatching somethings probably wrong with the chick to begin with because coturnix chicks are pretty much pros at hatching. Just leave them be and hopefully like with me, wake up to puffy peepers staring at you.
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Keep the humidity in the 60s (i normally have it at 62-65) temps around 99.9-100 (everyone has their on preferances on temps and hum for quail tho).

And i sit back and am always suprised to see the fluff balls when they're in there. They almost always hatch too fast for me to even notice theyre hatching....when i do they're already out of the egg and puffy! LOL!

So yeah you dont need shelf liner, some SWEAR by it and that's great, but rest assured i have the same spacing of wire in my sears roebuck as i did in my LG and have not had one leg problem. Having liner would just make more of a hassle fo rme and i'd probably crack eggs in teh changing process lol. But that's me! and my oppinon.
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I have 4 chicks hathced yesterday (and many others) to proove that you dont need the liners. I think it's more of a precaution with many and i fully undersatnd that.
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Thanks for the reply, one more question. After they hatch how long until they need to drink some water, and be introduced to food? Should I put water in the incubator for them to drink?
 
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24 hours they can be without food and water, as for putting water in teh incubator for them to drink from. I'd advise against it for the mere fact that they could drown in it. I dunno how many eggs you have but they do normally all hatch around the same day (normally) so you probably wont have to even hold them in there for 24 hours but theres always the chance you may have to.

I am different from everyone else when it comes to this issue... but I'll tell you what i do. I wait until puffy, and take them out even if others are still hatching. As long as i dont linger with the incubator opened i havent had any deaths or issues partaining to disturbing the humidity. My brooder is full ofcoturnix and chicken chicks that all just hatched yesterday (well and some several days before butthe majority hatched yesterday) and when i saw pufy chicks, i opened up and took them out and shut the inc back up.
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However my incubator regulates itself very fast, your incubator may not.

Try not to worry so much though okay? Make this an enjoyable experience you've got a good start and you're almost done!
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I would have a differing opinion
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I try to keep my humidity at 70% for the hatch.

So yeah you dont need shelf liner, some SWEAR by it and that's great, but rest assured i have the same spacing of wire in my sears roebuck as i did in my LG and have not had one leg problem. Having liner would just make more of a hassle fo rme and i'd probably crack eggs in teh changing process lol. But that's me! and my oppinon.
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I don't use shelf liner either, and don't have any troubles usually. The last time I hatched quail I did have one chick get its 'elbow' stuck in the wire. It was a jumbo chick, and I have hatched them all. Even the buttons were fine without it. If you want to use the shelf liner, you can always put it under the turner before you ever set the eggs, then all you need to do is take the eggs off the turner.
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24 hours they can be without food and water, as for putting water in teh incubator for them to drink from. I'd advise against it for the mere fact that they could drown in it. I dunno how many eggs you have but they do normally all hatch around the same day (normally) so you probably wont have to even hold them in there for 24 hours but theres always the chance you may have to.

I wait until they are dry and there are no visible pips, but no longer than 12-24 hours. I have put water in the bator, in a small shallow dish, and they were just fine. I have never had them all hatch at once, they always seem to hatch in waves. It almost always takes 3 days for all of them to hatch, my last one took 5
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alright well I think I got it all down now. I'll just wait, and see what happens. I'll post pics when it does.
Thanks again.
 
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I wait until they are dry and there are no visible pips, but no longer than 12-24 hours. I have put water in the bator, in a small shallow dish, and they were just fine. I have never had them all hatch at once, they always seem to hatch in waves. It almost always takes 3 days for all of them to hatch, my last one took 5
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that's only cuz you're spechal shelley
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Your kinda quail hatches would drive me insane! LOL! I'm thankful mine all decide to hatch around the same hours lol!
 

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