Question on hatching quail and chicks

[junior67]

I was given some Celadon quail eggs from someone I hatched chicks for. I know nothing about quail. Been reading some but have some questions. I heard they hatch between day 16-18. I am going to be gone late day 13 to early day 15. I have someone adding water to the incubator. I was going to remove the turner on day 13 and bump humidity on day 15. Does that sound ok?

How long do quail take to go from pip to zip? I know with chicks it can be up to 24 hrs. And do they zip quick like chickens or slower like ducks?

I use a MHP with my chicks are quail ok with that? And I use a nipple waterer, vertical, with my chicks so they barely have to touch it and get water, will the quail be able to use it?

I bought game bird started but the crumble look kind of big. Do I need to break it down more?

They are on day 11 and look good. Had 9, but 1 had a detached air cell so never started and 1 had a crack only seen when candling so even though I put wax on the crack it quit. So I have 7 going strong

 

[junior67]

Hello, I must say that imo everytime I put quail into lockdown is day 15. Putting them into lockdown at the end of day 15 should be fine, but just make sure that who ever is checking on the eggs looks fir any pips. Them they should turn off the turner. If you don't like that idea it's also probably fine to put them into lockdown day 13. I know someone who put their Gamble quail into lockdown about a week early and they hatched fine. Sometimes I actually do what's called a no turn hatch and I never turn the eggs.

Sometimes quail are pipped and out in an 39 minutes or can take as long as a duck egg when hatching. It seems to depend completely on the individual chuck and how strong they are and how badly they want to get out.

I usually feed newly hatched quail turkey starter and that works fine. Also this is all from my experience and my opinion on the subject of quail and their chicks. So be aware other people might say the complete opposite and argue about my opinion.

Also I usually have mi incubator at 37.4 Celsius and around 55% humidity for the first 14 days and 60%-75% humidity for lockdown

thanks. the problem with them turning the turner off is that I normally remove it and put down a liner. The person doing the water knows nothing about hatching or incubators so asking her to do that is a lot.

wow so they are all over the place? it isn't like chickens that you should think about assisting if they have been pipped for a certain amt of time and no zipping?

 

[Nabiki]

Here are a couple articles that might help you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coturnix-incubation-tips.76184/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coturnix-basic-care.76183/

If you want more reading material, those articles came from here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/quail.32/

 

[junior67]

I have my first pip!

 

[junior67]

5 pips. I think 1 quit which left me with 6. Hopefully the last one that was alive last night pips soon!!!!

 

[007Sean]

Exactly they wait till you’re gone to hatch I sit there for hours watching my incubator then the minute I leave to go do something and I come back they are all running around lol.

A 'watched pot, never boils'

 

[Nabiki]

not sure how long I will have them. When do their feathers start coming in? I am going to be selling them but would love to see them grow a bit. But only have a tote for them to live in for now (it is good size but not huge.)

They start getting feathers on their wings on day 3! They grow incredibly fast.

 

[Nabiki]

They have been pipped for about 27 hrs or so. I candled and they are still moving. I have had to assist a couple chicken chicks and they have made it and had no issues. But I am clueless on quail

The process will be pretty much the same, I believe. Carefully peel back the shell, be careful not to tear any veins. Seriously, though, they often have trouble hatching for reasons.

 

[junior67]

well I have 5. I lost one last night but think because of something I did. But that last one to hatch was having a rough time. The veins never fully absorbed but it was still alive and getting very crunchy. I left it in there to absorb for about 8-10 hrours and it was no longer chewing and I could tell it was weaker. So just did my best to get it out of the shell. There was minimal bleeding but there was some. The chick was all crusty so I had to give it a bath. It wouldn't open its eyes and wasn't sure if they were stuck shut etc was very weak. I washed it all up and put it back in the incubator. Then gave it some nutridrench a few times. about 9 hrs later it was still just flopping around the incubator so I put it in a cup so it wouldn't flop around and went to bed hoping for the best. Woke up this morning and it is alive, eyes are open and it is walking aroung. So it is now in the brooder with the others.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

I was given some Celadon quail eggs from someone I hatched chicks for. I know nothing about quail. Been reading some but have some questions. I heard they hatch between day 16-18. I am going to be gone late day 13 to early day 15. I have someone adding water to the incubator. I was going to remove the turner on day 13 and bump humidity on day 15. Does that sound ok?

How long do quail take to go from pip to zip? I know with chicks it can be up to 24 hrs. And do they zip quick like chickens or slower like ducks?

I use a MHP with my chicks are quail ok with that? And I use a nipple waterer, vertical, with my chicks so they barely have to touch it and get water, will the quail be able to use it?

I bought game bird started but the crumble look kind of big. Do I need to break it down more?

They are on day 11 and look good. Had 9, but 1 had a detached air cell so never started and 1 had a crack only seen when candling so even though I put wax on the crack it quit. So I have 7 going strong

Hello, I must say that imo everytime I put quail into lockdown is day 15. Putting them into lockdown at the end of day 15 should be fine, but just make sure that who ever is checking on the eggs looks fir any pips. Them they should turn off the turner. If you don't like that idea it's also probably fine to put them into lockdown day 13. I know someone who put their Gamble quail into lockdown about a week early and they hatched fine. Sometimes I actually do what's called a no turn hatch and I never turn the eggs.

Sometimes quail are pipped and out in an 39 minutes or can take as long as a duck egg when hatching. It seems to depend completely on the individual chuck and how strong they are and how badly they want to get out.

I usually feed newly hatched quail turkey starter and that works fine. Also this is all from my experience and my opinion on the subject of quail and their chicks. So be aware other people might say the complete opposite and argue about my opinion.

Also I usually have mi incubator at 37.4 Celsius and around 55% humidity for the first 14 days and 60%-75% humidity for lockdown