Quail newbie looking for feedback

[RunningRabbit]

So to start off, I'm on day three of incubating 18 button quail eggs, and am using a homemade Styrofoam still air incubator. The temperature stays almost always at a steady 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with an occasional low of 98 degrees (which, I believe, is caused by my house being a wee bit drafty), and a high of 101 degrees. The humidity stays at a steady 60%, but sometimes falls to 52% (only when I open the incubator to turn the eggs). All the info I've gotten for incubating the wee boogers has been gleaned from a ton of various sources, but I figure actually talking to people who have been there and can actually answer my questions is a wise idea.

Also, I've a bit of a problem. You see, I was supposed to have another shipment of eggs arriving at the same time as my button quail, but due to the post office messing up (sent the eggs to another state), won't get here until tomorrow. Big headache, this was. Can I add the eggs to the incubator? Or is it too late? The eggs aren't button quail. But...don't quote me on that, as I thought they were actually the same species (or are they?) They are Texas a&m and pharaoh, BTW. Are the poor things doomed as soon as they arrive here? I'd really hate to lose them!

 

[Persa]

Hi and take it easy

!
I haven't got button quail eggs, I have only japanese and italian quail. But I think the temperature is rigth, My egss some times is hatched with temperature betwen 100 and 103 degrees Farenheit (37,7-40 degrees celsius). I haven't got any problem but every time there is the Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong".
Best regards & Good luck.

 

[RunningRabbit]

Yeah, Murphy's Law hit me pretty hard yesterday. My town had a random power outage that lasted 3 hours. I had to light a candle and stick it in the incubator in order to keep the temps up for my eggs. I hope Murphy and his nasty Law stay away for the rest of my incubating.

 

[RunningRabbit]

But I do have another question.

I read that it was a good idea to have a no slip surface (or at least towels or news papers) underneath my quail eggs for when they hatch. I don't have that, since my incubator doesn't have a flat bottom. It has straight rows of alternating higher and lower areas. Should I put in a towel or just leave it alone? The surface isn't slick, so I didn't think it was necessary.

 

[chrishel]

I would think that lighting a candle for heat in your incubator would starve it of oxygen. You might have been better off just wrapping the incubator with extra towels and letting it get a little colder. That's just my guess.

I guess I don't understand the different levels you have in your incubator.

For brooding, paper towels are OK. Newspaper is too slick.

 

[RunningRabbit]

I think they're fine. I used the candle only twice for 2-3 minutes tops, and with the lid open. I brought the heat back up to 101, then took the candle out and replaced the lid. Worked like a charm.

I watched it like a hawk the times that I used the candle. I really wanted to be as cautious as possible, especially since the incubator is made of Styrofoam. Certainly didn't want it to melt or catch fire!

Now, for my next question: Is it even possible to candle button quail eggs? I've done candling with chicken eggs before, but button eggs are so darn tiny. I'm worried I'd end up breaking them on accident. I read that you can try to candle on day three of incubation, but is it even worth it to try so soon? Or even at all?

Also, my other shipment of eggs has been delayed until tomorrow again (USPS keeps sending the package to the wrong dang place!), they are coturnix quail eggs, and I was curious if I could incubate them with my button quail eggs? The button quail eggs have three days on the coturnix, so will (I hope so!) hatch sooner than the coturnix. I don't have another incubator, so can I incubate the newer eggs with my button quail?

 

[chrishel]

I have no experience with button quail eggs, but I would think you could candle them. I don't know how much you'd see. I wouldn't bother until day 4ish. You can candle everyday. By day 6 you could probably see a difference between clears and developing eggs. I would get rid of any clear eggs at that point. I candle a lot (I'm a scientist at heart so I love to see the development even if I'm not really seeing anything). Sometimes if I'm not sure (or just hoping I'm seeing wrong) I leave things in there, but eventually I get rid of clears. I had an issue a while ago with a lost shipment of eggs over a hot Summer and I got exploding eggs in the incubator. Never again.

You could incubate everything together. I would worry with an auto turner that chicks could get stuck and smashed, but you don't have that. I would guess that your buttons chicks would play soccer with cot eggs when they hatch but I don't think that would be a big problem. Maybe not soccer, since buttons are so small...

 

[RunningRabbit]

Oh, I can totally relate to the scientist bit! I have a super bright mag flash light and a dark purple dixie cup that I can drill a hole in, and am just itching to try and see what's inside those eggs. I really do want to try candling the eggs, but I am kinda scared to pick them up because of how small they are! The eggs themselves are either light blue or tan. Do you think I'd be able to see through them enough to even warrant a candling?

 

[chrishel]

I'd try it. I use the same except my dixie cup is red and I punched a hole with a pen. I used a knife to round out the edges and cut off any sharp parts. It helps to make stand or prop it up somehow so you don't need to hold the light and cup and you just have to worry about fumbling eggs.

Because there are no spots like cot eggs I would guess that they are going to be a lot easier to see inside. The best thing to do is try it!

It also helps if you have a fresh, unincubated, undeveloped egg to compare to as a reference. At least for cot eggs since the spots really interfere with candling.

I'm conducting a science experiment now as one of my cot hens went broody. Two eggs are at 18 days today so I moved her to a brooder box yesterday. I'm not sure if they will hatch at all, but it's been interesting to watch her. And she's been very tolerant of me checking her eggs every few days.

 

[GrandmaBird]

I have incubated button quail eggs it is simple. turn for 13 days on day 14 stop and they will hatch between day 16-22. as for adding the other eggs why not? they will take longer than the buttons anyway so you will have the buttons in brooders by then. Only leave them in the incubator until they are dry then move them to the brooder. I would buy some grip type shelf paper, Walmart carries it for under $5, and place it in the incubator or a kitchen towel will work too but the shelf liner is great, easy to wash, in the brooder so just as easy to use it. good luck!