tips for first incubation?

[1000yearoldeggs]

Thanks for the link. I would love to have an egg turner, I was hoping to save up and get one. I may just get a fully automated incubator, I'm not sure yet.

 

[TwoCrows]

Just got to thinking last night, I know you have to roll eggs but since I dont have rails do I put them on their sides? Or do I find a way to keep them upright? And if I have them on their sides will they still pip at the airsac? Its only two more days before I get them so im getting anxious lol

During incubation, the eggs need to be tilted a bit with the large end upward for good air cell development.

For hathcing, you can leave them on their sides for hatching. During lock down, they chick will have naturally gravitated toward the air cell. Some believe that hatching them upright in egg cartons prevents the chick from downing. I have never had any of them drown, at least not that I know of.

 

[TriciaB]

I want to thank everyone for your tips! Walmart online says they have some temp/humidity devices for $8 at the one close to me so I will head there in an hour to buy one! Very excited to get my quail tomorrow ^.^ I picked up an egg carton to place then in for tilting until lockdown, when I will set them on their sides. Looking forward to trying candling too

 

[TriciaB]

O.O can you say quail overload!!! I paid for 10 adults and 30 eggs.... he Gave me 8 more adults, 95 more coturnix quail eggs and 145 bobwhite eggs!! Overwhelmed... got another incubator from my friends cousin for free so have 100 coturnix in one and 100 bobwhite in the other. Have 2.5 weeks to come up with a lot more cages!!

 

[livelifebyluck]

O.O can you say quail overload!!! I paid for 10 adults and 30 eggs.... he Gave me 8 more adults, 95 more coturnix quail eggs and 145 bobwhite eggs!! Overwhelmed... got another incubator from my friends cousin for free so have 100 coturnix in one and 100 bobwhite in the other. Have 2.5 weeks to come up with a lot more cages!!

Thats Awesome TriciaB!!
I just got some coturnix quail eggs from a guy I know and I have an automatic egg turner which holds 41 eggs and I had some 55 eggs or so that where in good condition. The boyfriend said I could only incubate what I had room for so I got crafty with my eggs and quietly put the others ones in when her wasn't looking lol!!

Also my eggs fit into my turner with out any rails…my are set to hatch on Christmas morning best present ever!

 

[TriciaB]

They are set to hatch dec 30 - jan 1(atleast the coturnix, have no idea about bobwhites). So happy new years chicks!
My 'noisy' male entertains me. I put there cage in the bathroom for the night so I could clear out an area when I got up. Went to the bathroom this morning, he saw me and started calling. And kept it up for a whole 10 minutes. Silly quail.

 

[TriciaB]

A&M? they were a bit cramped in the transfer cage as I didn't expect to have 18 adults, they are much happier in their bigger cage now

closer pic of on of the more colorful birds

and since I posting pictures anyway here are my eggs again I was overwhelmed and didn't get a chance to clean them as well as I would have liked, but plan on it when I candle them this weekend.

 

[TriciaB]

Candled the eggs last night. We did the bobwhites first and they were pretty easy. Had about 10 bad, which wasnt a surprise considering they where in a box in his garage. But most of them looked good with a few that were clearish that I will give another week just in case.
The coturnix were a lot harder, our light source wasnt bright enough. We were able to see and pull out 4 bad eggs and saw veins in a few so hoping for a good hatch!!
Week and a half to go ^.^

 

[TriciaB]

Candling the second time tonight then my coturnix eggs go on lockdown!!

 

[mckeesbackyard]

Thanks for the tips posted on this thread--I'm also a newbie...am using my incubator for the first time (got it for Christmas ) & put 57 quail eggs in tonight (some coturnix, some Texas A&Ms from our own adults that we raised after buying them from 2 different breeders at days old. I have the temperature set at 99.5 & humidity at 50.