The Lazy Christmas Hatch: no turn quail dry hatch trial

[Susan Skylark]

I’m all out of juvenile quail, my last test subjects are laying eggs at someone else’s house! I’ve been wanting to do a no turn dry hatch but was worried about winter weather but apparently I can raise half a dozen in the basement for a month before they go outside with a heater. But I’m also gone for a few days at Christmas. But if it is a no turn dry hatch I can just time it so lockdown isn’t until I get back. It will be interesting to see if anything fazes these little buggers!

 

[Debbie292d]

About a year ago, I don't know who it was or where it was, most-likely on Facebook, some gal posted a picture of a bathtub half full of eggs with heat lamps on them. She never turned them and claimed they all hatched.

Of course everyone said, show us them hatching or show us the chicks, and she did show a ton of chicks in that same tub, all cleaned out, making it appear like they all hatched from her setup. I know some probably fell for it, but most didn't.

I know if you only rotate them for a week and do the middle one, then it's supposed to be fine. I've done semi-close to that with shipped eggs. I don't rotate the first few days, and I always lockdown early around 5-7 days.

To never rotate at all, some can still hatch, but the hatch rate will not be as good. I'd worry about some having difficulty hatching too, being stuck to the shell, or developing funny due to that.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I see you are at it again, wanting to break the rules to see what effect they actually have. It makes for some interesting posts.

I read a study a few years back from the country of Turkey where they studied the effects of turning on chicken eggs. I can't remember the details but they said it does have an effect. That included turning before incubation starts and turning during incubation. But that effect was not as great as I thought it would be. It will be interesting to see what results you get.

Years ago, I went to a presentation on hatching given by a poultry science professional. Again, with chicken eggs. He said turning is most important at the start of incubation. He said you really don't have to turn chicken eggs after 14 days of incubation. By then body parts have formed and a membrane has developed around the embryo to keep it from sticking to the inside of the eggshell if it touches. The main reason we keep turning until lockdown is simply the convenience of doing everything to go into lockdown at one time.

I will be looking for your updates and results.

 

[ChickoryHatchery17]

how do i make a chicken go broody is that possible?

 

[Susan Skylark]

Day 4: candled everything (careful not to turn or change place in incubator). Pulled one infertile (was fertile but died day 2!), one more iffy. Other 20 look fine. Three thermometers ranging from 98.5 on one end to 100.5 on the other (even when I up the temp or move the individual thermometers around, no change). Usually this variance wouldn’t be an issue as I’m constantly candling, rotating, shifting eggs around, but this time everything is staying put. I may end up with a 15-20 day hatch window (17 normal). Yet another reason to turn eggs! Crazy fertility too, consistently 35F, artificial light, and half my birds are pretty young.

 

[Squawkers]

how do i make a chicken go broody is that possible?

That’s a little far from this thread maybe start a new thread to get some answers!!

 

[Squawkers]

Very interesting! I’m excited to follow along!

 

[ChickoryHatchery17]

That’s a little far from this thread maybe start a new thread to get some answers!!

okay!!

 

[HatchCraft]

Day 4: candled everything (careful not to turn or change place in incubator). Pulled one infertile (was fertile but died day 2!), one more iffy. Other 20 look fine. Three thermometers ranging from 98.5 on one end to 100.5 on the other (even when I up the temp or move the individual thermometers around, no change). Usually this variance wouldn’t be an issue as I’m constantly candling, rotating, shifting eggs around, but this time everything is staying put. I may end up with a 15-20 day hatch window (17 normal). Yet another reason to turn eggs! Crazy fertility too, consistently 35F, artificial light, and half my birds are pretty young.

Are the eggs in a vertical or horizontal orientation? Or maybe tilted 45 degs? I've had fair success in the past.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Day 9: (eggs horizontal), candled and didn’t look great (compared to previous hatches). Very clumpy, about half full, opened one to find a live, on schedule embryo. We’ll see what happens!