When can I candle quail eggs???and help plz

[aldi123]

Hi this is my second time hatching quail eggs and I'm worried because I've 3 different breed in the incubator at the same time, I'm doing dry hatches as that's what's recommended to me by a nearby breeder but I'll be raising the humidity during the last 3 days . What do people recommend for lockdown???last time I used the 15 day and I got 26/48 quail. Now I've 60 eggs in, I am worried because I've put a light bulb under the eggs to keep the temperature at 38.8 c it's only 10w as the incubator it self is 40w, I've 2 fans running constantly, would there be any problems with my hatch??? And when can I candle these eggs????

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Start checking them for a road map of blood veins at 4-5 days.

I never dry incubate (usually humidity around 65-75% throughout) so I cant offer advice there.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Just thinking with 2 fans running, you might want to raise the temps a little and consider reading a different approach, buying a hydrometer and thermometer and going with humidity throughout the incubation.

Fans can dry out the egg, I personally feel most eggs need humidity, the hen usually supplies this with her body contact as well as that which evaporates from the ground/nest.

 

[aldi123]

I keep my incubator at 37.8 last time at 37.5. This is the 4th day of incubation so I'll check for blood vessels and everything. Will raising the temperature be necessary??? If I see blood vessels then I'll add water if everything seems fine I'll keep going, last time I hatched eggs , I only added water on first last days of incubation

 

[robdog]

Honestly it wouldn't even matter when you check them. You could let it go until day 14 ( Day before the hatch) and candle and anything without a dark spot and air sac just throw away.

 

[aldi123]

Ok, do you dry incubate, that's what I am worried about the humidity

 

[robdog]

No but since you go the way with dry incubation I can't imagine candling being any more different.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Candling at day 4-5 will reveal the eggs that are actually developing, and those that don't show any development after candling should be kept and checked again for development at 6-7 days. If no development is noted in those, cull them. The reason to candle early is to eliminate the potential bad eggs as they can later cause bacteria or burst/explode in the incubator. I missed one- one time and trust me....they do explode! Luckily it happened after I latter caught it and removed it from the incubator. It sounds like a light bulb popping and the crap went everywhere. Its not pretty nor smells good!

Humidity, if you want to keep incubating dry, that is your call and is depending on the species in my book...as I said I have never messed with dry incubation. But in my common sense of thoughts (alone) no replacement of moisture during incubation (humidity) suggest that the egg has to rely on what moisture is in the egg to sustain it for the incubation period. My logic is simple.
Dry incubation suggest the potential for more shrink wrapping as the egg is not being supplied with any moisture until the final days. The moisture within the egg is being depleted and not replaced.

I know plenty of people dry incubate, but I wonder if that is not part of the reasons for more bad hatches and low success rates in newcomers. I think dry incubation should be left to the more experienced who better understands the process. No offense to anyone!

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Don't think of the candling as a part of the incubation, but more a means to kill your curiosity about the development! You want to know if the eggs are developing or stand the chance of being rotten or bursting, as I explained earlier. There's a reason for the old say cull the bad eggs. In saying that you don't want to candle more than 4 times as it not a ritual must do thing.


You said.....I keep my incubator at 37.8 last time at 37.5------that puts you at 95.5 to 100.04 degrees (f), 99.5 is the bare minimum in my book. IF the thermometer is accurate you would be better off at 37.8 to 38.2 c.....100.04 to 100.76 degrees (f). better a little warm than a little cold. most eggs are viable up to 101.50 to 102.00 before issues start to occur.
Lets just hope the thermometer reading is accurate!

 

[aldi123]

hi, sorry about the late reply, i continued with the dry hatch and today is day 15, hoping for some chicks in 3 days will post pictures as they hatch