Quaility Control- To float or chance a bomb on day 14?

[LaLaLaLauria]

Hi guys, noob first time quail (anything actually) incubator. Today is day 14 and we will be going into lockdown. I do not have faith in my ability to candle these little spotted eggs effectively so my question is:

Do I not candle, not float, just put the eggs in lockdown and pray for no exploding eggs? -or- Is it a better idea to carefully float and pat dry and then put into lockdown?

I've seen people say both ways.

TIA!
Lauria

 

[JaeG]

Quail eggs rarely explode because of the shorter incubation time. An egg will only explode if a more advanced embryo dies and starts to break down. Infertile eggs will just dry out slowly and are no danger.

You use the floating technique if your eggs are overdue and you want to check for signs of life. Coturnix eggs are difficult to candle and you aren't ever going to see much detail, but with a strong light (I use my cellphone torch) you should be able to see whether the embryo has died if you want to try candling them. If the embryo looks very black, has sunk towards the narrow end of the egg and there's a watery gap between it and the air cell then the embryo has died. Eggs that look very full are on track to hatch soon.

At this stage I'd just put them into lockdown, but you could give candling a go just to put your mind at rest. Happy hatching! They are the cutest little things so you'll love them!

 

[LaLaLaLauria]

Thank you, JaeG, that sounds like a good plan. Maybe I will try my hand at a few of the celedons with my phone to see if I can tell anything. We are excited!! Making our brooder tonight!

 

[Icekingspenguin]

Yay! I'm a fellow new incubator hatching coturnix as well. Lockdown is tomorrow night and I was also wondering whether I should leave in the quitters and the ones that never did start to develop.

I have decided just to keep them all in there (just in case I am wrong about any) until after day 18 and then do float test and eggtopsies.

Anyway good luck on your hatch! Hope you post an update after hatch day

 

[feedman77]

If you candle and tell quitters. And infertile eggs I would remove them. They don't need to be in the incubator.

I personally never did like the float test. Just candle again at day 20 if you see some that are moving give them another day or so to try and hatch. But pitch the rest of the eggs. Most of mine seem to hatch within a day of the first one to emerge.

Yay! I'm a fellow new incubator hatching coturnix as well. Lockdown is tomorrow night and I was also wondering whether I should leave in the quitters and the ones that never did start to develop.

I have decided just to keep them all in there (just in case I am wrong about any) until after day 18 and then do float test and eggtopsies.

Anyway good luck on your hatch! Hope you post an update after hatch day

 

[Icekingspenguin]

If you candle and tell quitters. And infertile eggs I would remove them. They don't need to be in the incubator.

I personally never did like the float test. Just candle again at day 20 if you see some that are moving give them another day or so to try and hatch. But pitch the rest of the eggs. Most of mine seem to hatch within a day of the first one to emerge.

Okay I will get rid of all the infertiles.

I have 3 that definitely have some chicks, and 3 that I am completely unsure which is why I am hesitant to throw them out :/

The ones I am unsure about are dark(ish) but not like the ones that I'm sure about and I cant see any kind of blood ring or mass at the pointing end so I just dont know D:

 

[RosieR]

I’d leave any you’re unsure about. You could always mark them with a pencil so if they do or don’t hatch you can get an understanding of what a developed egg looks like.

 

[Icekingspenguin]

I’d leave any you’re unsure about. You could always mark them with a pencil so if they do or don’t hatch you can get an understanding of what a developed egg looks like.

Yes that is the plan Trying to learn as much as I can. I have noted the three I'm unsure of and we'll see what happens!

 

[Erkenstein]

Candling on Day 14 before lockdown will tell you which eggs are clears and should be removed. You don't need to know any more than that, so it's not a problem if you can't see exactly what is happening in the egg. If it's dark, there is likely a developing chick there.

I agree with feedman77 about not doing a float test, but we're talking about quail here so candling is at Day 14. After you candle and return the dark eggs to the incubator, you'll see them rocking and rolling, which is what the float test would have shown you anyway.