Thinking about hatching some Quail

willowbranchfarm

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Oct 3, 2011
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I have an incubator that has never been used (Little Giant Still Air) and I've never hatched anything before and I cant take it anymore I have to hatch something lol. So I really want to hatch some quail. I've been reading like crazy on here and my books about hatching them so I think I know the basics. If you have any tips or comments I would like to hear them.

Thanks
jumpy.gif
 
Idk if u know this but Button Quails for the first 2-3 weeks need to be kept at 101 degrees Fahrenheit!! Also DO NOT us cotton they can choke!!!!!!!! Alot of people i know get button quails and put cotton in there cage...one of my friends did that then called me!! R.I.P little Burney!!! Make sure there's like paper towels under neath them even if u have like a type of bedding because they could slip and get injured!! Oh and make sure they ALWAYS have water!!!!! Especially if u like some where real worm and humid!!!

After 2-3 weeks- You would need to get them in at least a 20 gallon space or aquarium! Just make sure they got food and water and a clean cage and bang ull be a grate quail mommy/daddy!!! Lol


GOOD LUCK!!!!
woot.gif
 
Idk if u know this but Button Quails for the first 2-3 weeks need to be kept at 101 degrees Fahrenheit!! Also DO NOT us cotton they can choke!!!!!!!! Alot of people i know get button quails and put cotton in there cage...one of my friends did that then called me!! R.I.P little Burney!!! Make sure there's like paper towels under neath them even if u have like a type of bedding because they could slip and get injured!! Oh and make sure they ALWAYS have water!!!!! Especially if u like some where real worm and humid!!!

After 2-3 weeks- You would need to get them in at least a 20 gallon space or aquarium! Just make sure they got food and water and a clean cage and bang ull be a grate quail mommy/daddy!!! Lol


GOOD LUCK!!!!
woot.gif
Thanks for the tips. I will make sure to keep all of that in mind.
 
For me, quail are pretty easy to hatch. (I actually get careless sometimes and forget to tend to them, whoops!). The incubation period depends on the breed of course. My Gambel's quail take 23 days to hatch, while Button quails are much sooner. I've used the Little Giant still air incubators in the past. They are a little tricky. They fluctuate in temps a lot so keep it in a room with a constant and steady temperature. They can spike high temps pretty easily. Too hot will kill chicks more quickly than being too cool. You will have to keep an eye on it quite a bit. Try to keep the temp steady at 99.5 degrees. If you don't have a turner, turn them by hand at least 3 times a day. During incubation, add a little bit of water in the rings on the bottom of the incubator every now and then. I like mine a little dry. They need to lose moisture as they incubate to form large air cells for hatching. Quail eggs are a little hard to candle. But you can usually manage to see something inside. Sometimes even movement. You'll see a dark mass if there's any development going on (if they have been incubating for a week +, you won't see something immediately.) Just before hatching is due, stop turning the eggs and fill the rings up with water and maybe add a sponge to raise the humidity. I've noticed my quail chicks like heat more than my other birds. Soon as the temp drops slightly in the brooder, they are a mess lol. You'll know if they are comfortable if they are all spread out evenly in the brooder. If they are huddled under the heat lamp, they are too cold. Or avoiding the heat lamp/lamps, they are too warm.

You should give hatching a whirl! It's a lot of fun
smile.png
 
For me, quail are pretty easy to hatch. (I actually get careless sometimes and forget to tend to them, whoops!). The incubation period depends on the breed of course. My Gambel's quail take 23 days to hatch, while Button quails are much sooner. I've used the Little Giant still air incubators in the past. They are a little tricky. They fluctuate in temps a lot so keep it in a room with a constant and steady temperature. They can spike high temps pretty easily. Too hot will kill chicks more quickly than being too cool. You will have to keep an eye on it quite a bit. Try to keep the temp steady at 99.5 degrees. If you don't have a turner, turn them by hand at least 3 times a day. During incubation, add a little bit of water in the rings on the bottom of the incubator every now and then. I like mine a little dry. They need to lose moisture as they incubate to form large air cells for hatching. Quail eggs are a little hard to candle. But you can usually manage to see something inside. Sometimes even movement. You'll see a dark mass if there's any development going on (if they have been incubating for a week +, you won't see something immediately.) Just before hatching is due, stop turning the eggs and fill the rings up with water and maybe add a sponge to raise the humidity. I've noticed my quail chicks like heat more than my other birds. Soon as the temp drops slightly in the brooder, they are a mess lol. You'll know if they are comfortable if they are all spread out evenly in the brooder. If they are huddled under the heat lamp, they are too cold. Or avoiding the heat lamp/lamps, they are too warm.

You should give hatching a whirl! It's a lot of fun
smile.png
Wow thanks for the advice. I'm very excited now. I have heard that about the little giant but It's what I got so I better just try and work with it. :D
 
are you going to try Chinese Blue Breasted Quail, aka button quail, or regular larger type quail?
It makes a huge difference on how to incubate and care for them. let us know so we can guide you better.
 
Actually buttons do not require 101.
incubate at 99.5, takes about 16 days, after drying move to a brooder and use the following guides for temp. be sure to use a cover as they can fly up and be gone in a heartbeat.

week 1 95-90
week 2 90-85
week 3 85-80
week 4 80-75
week 5 75-70 by this time they should be fully feathered and can then be kept at room temp.

you may want to read up a bit more. you can buy Jodi McDonald's book "A Closer Look At Button Quail" it has tons of great information on these amazing little quail.
 
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