Quail eggs. What am I doing wrong?!!!

[Beaglemomof5]

I put 96 quail eggs in the incubator, kept the temp at 99.5-100 degrees, humidity between 40-50% the first 20 days, then when we took them out of the automatic turner, we kept the humidity around 65-70%. On day 21 they started pipping (yay - even though it was 2 days early!) The ones that pipped, which was about 60%, hatched out by the evening of the 22nd day, then nothing else. So on the evening of the 23rd day, when no more had pipped, my husband took the remaining eggs out & opened them all & told me the chicks were fully formed, but all dead!! This is the 2nd hatch that played out this way - what am I doing wrong? It’s heartbreaking for them to get to the hatching state & then die!!! I’m ready to just call it quits with trying to hatch them!!! Please tell me where I’m going wrong!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I put 96 quail eggs in the incubator, kept the temp at 99.5-100 degrees, humidity between 40-50% the first 20 days, then when we took them out of the automatic turner, we kept the humidity around 65-70%. On day 21 they started pipping (yay

What kind of quail are we talking about? And what type of incubator are you using, forced or still air? Also, which brand/model? Can you post a pic? Do you have all your plugs out? Are you using a calibrated thermometer/hygrometer? Are these shipped eggs or from your own breeding stock?

 

[Beaglemomof5]

They’re Bobwhite from our own stock. I put them in the incubator on Saturday, the 3rd of August & they were laid within that week prior to setting them. I don’t know the actual name of my incubator, but it’s a forced air, like the one in the picture, but mine has 2 sections that each hold 48 eggs. I’ve used it 5 or 6 times, but the last 2 times are the only time I’ve used both sections to try to hatch more eggs before they quit laying. I have 2 of the hygrometer/thermometers as in the picture I’ve posted. Thank you for any help you could give me. I can’t help but feel like I’ve failed the unhatched somehow.....

 

[Kiki]

I would guess that your humidity it just too high.
Try your next batch at 35%.

And get another thermometer and calibrate it.
Salt test your humidity gauge too.

 

[cmfarm]

Has it had a good cleaning in a while? That can cause hatching issues sometimes.

 

[Beaglemomof5]

I’m not sure how to calibrate - I guess google can step me thru that! I always clean my incubator with a bleach solution after every hatch so there’s no bacteria to do harm. Thanks to everyone for your responses!!

 

[Kiki]

I’m not sure how to calibrate - I guess google can step me thru that! I always clean my incubator with a bleach solution after every hatch so there’s no bacteria to do harm. Thanks to everyone for your responses!!

@aart Can I bother you to post you calibrating article link please?


Here is salt testing info:
https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-to-calibrate-a-hygrometer-1239116

 

[aart]

@aart Can I bother you to post you calibrating article link please?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

 

[Beaglemomof5]

Thank y’all so much!!