Thinking about starting again

[Epona142]

Some of you might remember the struggle I had with quail. It might make you sad to learn I gave up on them.

Well, I moved shortly after, and I've finally gotten the cage I built for my quail over to the new place. All I need to do is set it up.

My incubator is sitting empty as well...right before the move I set a dozen guinea eggs, and for like the first time ever, didn't have a SINGLE problem in the incubation.

And none hatched.

So I stuck it in my closet.

I have one lonely quail roo. Poor little guy crows all day; I can't bear to butcher him cause he's so lonely. I know, silly of me.

So I dunno...should I try again? Everyone says how easy quail are and I REALLY REALLY want quail but I can't bear to go through all the excitement only to be disappointed again.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Guinea eggs are hard to hatch, so don't beat yourself up over that. Out of probably 50 eggs (guinea) I've set so far this year, I think I've hatched 12? 13? keets.

Quail eggs are super easy (imo) I always have good hatches on them, even from shipped eggs. It just takes practice, and a good hygro/thermometer

 

[byoung14ever]

DO IT!!! If at first you don't succeed try try again!! Learning from your mistakes is the key!!

 

[Epona142]

Well thanks guys!

I keep hearing quail eggs are easy, but have yet to see a GOOD hatch.

Maybe it's my turn to have one?

 

[byoung14ever]

Well i would not say they are easy. Easier than turkeys or pheasants harder than chickens. Get your temp regulated a couple of days before you set eggs and do you have a turner? I think that takes a lot of the risk out. Getting good eggs is the biggest key and you can get them from lots of good people here!!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I can't even hatch my own guineas' eggs half the time, so don't take that as a reason to stop

 

[Epona142]

I think next time I'll just buy some keets..

I've used a Little Giant with a turner, an old Bower hand turn, and now I have a Brisnea 20, which I gently turn myself.

I've had issues with thermometers and temps (the wafer on the Bower is bad it turns out), but I think I've got it nailed with the Brisnea now. The guinea eggs just didn't want to hatch I suppose!

I'm mulling it over now. I get paid in a bit, so we'll see.

 

[quailbrain]

I think you should give them a try when your set up is ready. If you have the set up right quail can be very easy. There's a thrill about hatching too so you could hatch a whole new flcok

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have had one good hatch on guinea eggs this season. They were shipped, and 6 of 6 hatched. Surprised the heck out of me!! One shipment before did no good (4 of 14 hatched), one shipment after did no good (3 of 19 hatched). The only thing I did differently between the three was that the middle set (really good hatch one) was set with duck eggs, so the humidity was consistently at least 50%, usually more like 60%. So I'm thinking guineas need really high humidity? Either that or I just got lucky.

Time will tell, I've got some of my guineas' eggs in the bator now, and most of them seem to be doing all right