Started raising quail for meat/eggs

[SEP Board]

Very excited

Had three eggs today! Two on the side that I've been getting one egg for the last three days and one for the first time on the other side. This gives me six eggs total so far.

So that brings some questions; I've put them in a regular egg carton to keep them safe. I've put an X on one side and an O on the other. I have them point down and I'm trying to turn the carton from side to side three or four times a day. So as I understand it, you want to try to get them into the incubator on or before day 10 of the oldest one? I'm assuming that will improve the odds of a good incubation of the egg? And the eggs need to still be point down in the incubator and turned three/four times a day until like day 14 in which everything is on 'lock down' and you don't mess with the eggs?

Comments and advice welcome. I'm hoping to be able to really have a good amount to incubate so if 10 days is the cut off I'll see what I've accumulated by that time.

 

[pkhunter]

Very excited

Had three eggs today! Two on the side that I've been getting one egg for the last three days and one for the first time on the other side. This gives me six eggs total so far.

So that brings some questions; I've put them in a regular egg carton to keep them safe. I've put an X on one side and an O on the other. I have them point down and I'm trying to turn the carton from side to side three or four times a day. So as I understand it, you want to try to get them into the incubator on or before day 10 of the oldest one? I'm assuming that will improve the odds of a good incubation of the egg? And the eggs need to still be point down in the incubator and turned three/four times a day until like day 14 in which everything is on 'lock down' and you don't mess with the eggs?

Comments and advice welcome. I'm hoping to be able to really have a good amount to incubate so if 10 days is the cut off I'll see what I've accumulated by that time.

I only store my eggs for 7 days but I see no problem with 10, I keep mine in a small wine cooler set at 60 degrees and I don't turn them, usually get 80% to 90% hatch rates. Point down turn 3 to 4 times a day first 14 days I put mine on their side in lock down. Unless your in a hurry to incubate I would let them lay for a couple weeks to make sure their fertile before I started saving eggs

 

[SEP Board]

Thank you. How necessary is it to keep them in the cooler prior to incubation? I haven't been doing this and they are in a carton at room temperature. This would be day 5 since the first egg was laid.

 

[pkhunter]

Thank you. How necessary is it to keep them in the cooler prior to incubation? I haven't been doing this and they are in a carton at room temperature. This would be day 5 since the first egg was laid.

My shop gets real hot so I just put them in a cooler but don't think it is necessary. Friend of my keeps his at room temperature and he does just fine with his hatching. I've kept eggs for 10 days before with no problems but right now I set eggs every Saturday that way every 7 days I start new eggs and put the ones that are 14 days in my hatcher.

 

[SEP Board]

Gotcha. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a step. Had four eggs yesterday evening so that is 4 out of the 6 hens laying now. That gives me a total of 10 so far. My incubator holds 10 chicken eggs so I figure it will hold 20+ quail eggs without an issue, perhaps even around 30 or so. Today is day 6 since the first egg was laid so I figure I'll see what I can gather between now and Thursday (day 10). I'll get the incubator started tomorrow or Tuesday so I have time to make sure it's going to be the temp/humidity that's needed and it's warmed up and ready to go for Thursday. Then we'll see how it goes from there.

Appreciate the info/advice

 

[deshet]

I would wait a couple weeks to make sure that your males are also doing things properly. Do they have foam (sperm) near there vent if you turn them up side down.

You can always section off the incubator based on when they are due. I have a friend that has eggs hatching all at different times. As the eggs get older fertility goes down.

 

[SEP Board]

I believe that they do. I saw the roo 'having a date night' with one of the hens last evening when I went out to gather the eggs. So it seems that it's all coming together well.

 

[eHuman]

How goes the journey SEP? Any pix of your covey?

 

[SEP Board]

How goes the journey SEP? Any pix of your covey?

It's going great and I'm having a blast! I getting 6 eggs a day pretty consistently now (I have 6 hens). I have 22 eggs in the incubator and over 30 ready for eating. Set up an automatic watering system for both the quail and the rabbits that is working out nicely. I also give more space in the cages now that the original watering bowl/bottle is taken out.

I've got some pics in the quail cage thread. It's a PVC frame that I learned how to make from 'slightly redneck' on YT. It's modular so I can add levels to it, which is my plan. I want to triple the amount of hens that I have so I'm shooting for 18 total (and maybe up to 22). I'll also triple the amount of roos to about 6 total. So I'll be adding three levels to the PVC frame. The first three levels will be for the roos and hens that I'm keeping for eggs. The fourth level will be a grow out cage for those I plan to harvest.

The incubator is doing well and the temp is holding consistent. About another week and a half before hatch day. I'm hoping for at least 50%.

I'm very happy with how friendly the quail are, they don't freak when I gather eggs and they let me pet them or they walk over my hand when I'm gathering eggs.

 

[SEP Board]

Wanted to update my progress:

I'm up to 28 hens and 6 roosters. I'm getting about a 70% hatch rate in my last two hatches. I've been able to correct spradle leg on two of my chicks successfully and I've gotten pretty good at dispatching and harvesting. In addition to eating the eggs I've started a little side business selling them (gives me a little pocket money). As I mentioned in another thread, I've started a black soldier fly larvae bin to supplement the quail food. They seem to be enjoying them quite a bit.

Added a fourth cage yesterday. I have another cage almost ready for use but don't know if I'll stop at 28 hens or shoot for adding another 12 for a total of 40. I'll have to do some thinking on that. We'll see how this next hatch turns out.