First of all, let me start by apologizing for this really long post...
I'm a first-time egg-anything hatcher. Never hatched an egg in my life, and never been around hatching eggs. I've only dealt with pre-hatched chicks that Tractor Supply sometimes sells in the late spring. So I've done some research (okay, a lot of research) and I still feel like I'm doing everything wrong. I feel like I'm getting mixed information all over.
I ordered button quail eggs from two different breeders. The first breeder, the eggs took much longer to arrive to me than they were supposed to. That wasn't his fault though, the mail carrier isn't reliable at all (at least in my case). Ordered 20 eggs, got 5 (I think?) extra. One arrived cracked and spilled when I lifted it (good lord that smell), and two or three others had VERY tiny little holes/indents in the shell. I only tossed out the one that cracked.
Second batch of quail eggs, again, I ordered 20 and he sent me 36. They came in a couple days later than the first order, but right when the seller shipped and expected them to arrive. So very well packaged, but the box had a huge dent in the bottom corner (thanks again to the carrier) so I figured the air sacs were jostled for sure.
I followed the instructions to keep these eggs for 24 hours minimum undisturbed, pointed end upside down at room temperature (there is no cool area in our home, so unfortunately "room temperature" is at 76-80°F most days...).
I made sure to have my incubator (still air) and hygrometer ordered and in my possession before I ordered my eggs. No problem there... until I realized, oh crap, I need an auto egg-turner, don't I? Might also be a smart idea to get an egg candler as well. So I ordered those... well, order didn't go through. Had to re-do that order. I'm still waiting for them to arrive, which SHOULD be tomorrow. If not, I'm going to raise hell. I paid extra for 2-3 day shipping and they're already two days late.
So I've got my eggs in the incubator. First batch in, then the next day, second batch goes in.
I'm having a VERY difficult time keeping the temperature at a steady 99.5-100°F. Originally I read somewhere that the eggs should be at 95.5, or maybe I misread it. First batch was in there for a solid 24 hours and then some at that temperature, before I fixed it. Temperature goes up and down from 97°F to 103°F. Since my stupid egg turner isn't in, I have to hand turn these eggs 3-4 times a day, and that takes time because I'm being careful. Temperature drops dramatically and slowly builds back up.
Humidity won't reach the 55% I need it at, without going over. Hangs around 40-45% instead.
Originally I wanted my incubator in our furnace room, it's the warmest room in the house. Humidity was WAY too high and I couldn't lower it in there. So I moved the bator into our living area (unfortunately I live with my mother; boyfriend and I live in the lower half of the house, which is a renovated basement more or less).
Three days ago I tried the float test (probably way too early to do that, huh?) on the first batch of eggs and misread information, going by whether or not eggs are still good for eating and NOT whether they're fertilized and growing... stupid me. I kept the sinkers and tossed the floaters. They either sunk like a rock or bobbed like pingpong balls. A couple floated for several seconds, and then sunk (I kept those). Was it too early to tell? Are my sinkers duds? Did I end up tossing the good ones?
I'm freaking out over here. I want things to go right, and everything seems to be going just the opposite.
Any advice?
I'm a first-time egg-anything hatcher. Never hatched an egg in my life, and never been around hatching eggs. I've only dealt with pre-hatched chicks that Tractor Supply sometimes sells in the late spring. So I've done some research (okay, a lot of research) and I still feel like I'm doing everything wrong. I feel like I'm getting mixed information all over.
I ordered button quail eggs from two different breeders. The first breeder, the eggs took much longer to arrive to me than they were supposed to. That wasn't his fault though, the mail carrier isn't reliable at all (at least in my case). Ordered 20 eggs, got 5 (I think?) extra. One arrived cracked and spilled when I lifted it (good lord that smell), and two or three others had VERY tiny little holes/indents in the shell. I only tossed out the one that cracked.
Second batch of quail eggs, again, I ordered 20 and he sent me 36. They came in a couple days later than the first order, but right when the seller shipped and expected them to arrive. So very well packaged, but the box had a huge dent in the bottom corner (thanks again to the carrier) so I figured the air sacs were jostled for sure.
I followed the instructions to keep these eggs for 24 hours minimum undisturbed, pointed end upside down at room temperature (there is no cool area in our home, so unfortunately "room temperature" is at 76-80°F most days...).
I made sure to have my incubator (still air) and hygrometer ordered and in my possession before I ordered my eggs. No problem there... until I realized, oh crap, I need an auto egg-turner, don't I? Might also be a smart idea to get an egg candler as well. So I ordered those... well, order didn't go through. Had to re-do that order. I'm still waiting for them to arrive, which SHOULD be tomorrow. If not, I'm going to raise hell. I paid extra for 2-3 day shipping and they're already two days late.
So I've got my eggs in the incubator. First batch in, then the next day, second batch goes in.
I'm having a VERY difficult time keeping the temperature at a steady 99.5-100°F. Originally I read somewhere that the eggs should be at 95.5, or maybe I misread it. First batch was in there for a solid 24 hours and then some at that temperature, before I fixed it. Temperature goes up and down from 97°F to 103°F. Since my stupid egg turner isn't in, I have to hand turn these eggs 3-4 times a day, and that takes time because I'm being careful. Temperature drops dramatically and slowly builds back up.
Humidity won't reach the 55% I need it at, without going over. Hangs around 40-45% instead.
Originally I wanted my incubator in our furnace room, it's the warmest room in the house. Humidity was WAY too high and I couldn't lower it in there. So I moved the bator into our living area (unfortunately I live with my mother; boyfriend and I live in the lower half of the house, which is a renovated basement more or less).
Three days ago I tried the float test (probably way too early to do that, huh?) on the first batch of eggs and misread information, going by whether or not eggs are still good for eating and NOT whether they're fertilized and growing... stupid me. I kept the sinkers and tossed the floaters. They either sunk like a rock or bobbed like pingpong balls. A couple floated for several seconds, and then sunk (I kept those). Was it too early to tell? Are my sinkers duds? Did I end up tossing the good ones?
I'm freaking out over here. I want things to go right, and everything seems to be going just the opposite.
Any advice?
