Where did I go wrong? - Coturnix Quail

[CostaMesaQuail]

Hello,
I just got through my first “hatch” of Coturnix quail. It went very badly. Hopefully you are able to advise what I did wrong so I can adjust on the next round.

Final Count
- Set 36 eggs
- 11 were not fertile
- 25 were fertile
- 12 quit very early
- 8 were full grown but never pipped
- 5 hatched
- 2 had very deformed legs and had to be culled
- A grand total of THREE are happily running around the brooder.

Not successful.

- I used a HovaBator with the flat automatic turner.
- Humidity was at 55 until lockdown when I bumped it to 75.
- Temp was maintained between 99.8 - 101.8
- Lockdown on day 14.

Possible problems:
- On day 4, my power went out for about 3 hours.

I’m thinking the power issue may explain the 12 early quitters, but what about the 8 full grown that didn’t pip?

Also, the two that hatched with bad legs took a LONG time to come out after zipping. Over 36 hours. My wife successfully “helped” one, but it didn’t survive the night.

Then there are the three happy, strong, perfectly shaped, zippy little ones that made it.

So.... was it the power? Humidity, Temp? I monitored like a hawk and not once opened the bator, using a vent hole to add water to minimize fluctuations.

Any thoughts? I’d love to try again in the next few weeks.

Thanks so much!
Dave

 

[Pyxis]

So sorry that your hatch did not go well I'm thinking humidity was likely the issue with the late quitters. When you opened up the eggs, did you find that there was a lot of excess liquid in there?

 

[cottontail farm]

I have a still air hovabator with the automatic turner. I run mine at 102 with about 45% humidity for chickens, quail and ducks. I think my last quail hatch was 35 healthy chickes out of 38 eggs. BUT it took a big learning curve with some bad hatches to get there. I think my first hatch (chickens) NONE hatched even though they all developed.
Sadly the only advice I have is to gather some more eggs and try again. Write down your numbers so when you start having sucess you can have your "map" for next time

 

[CostaMesaQuail]

So sorry that your hatch did not go well I'm thinking humidity was likely the issue with the late quitters. When you opened up the eggs, did you find that there was a lot of excess liquid in there?

Thanks for responding. They were pretty wet in there, but I did leave them about three days over just in case. Do you think 75 is too high for the humidity?

 

[CCUK]

I would have thought if the legs were splayed or deformed that could be because they took to long to break out the egg. 36 hours is a long time for quail. I would think that humidity was the problem. Are you sure your hygrometer was giving correct Reading?

 

[CostaMesaQuail]

I have a still air hovabator with the automatic turner. I run mine at 102 with about 45% humidity for chickens, quail and ducks. I think my last quail hatch was 35 healthy chickes out of 38 eggs. BUT it took a big learning curve with some bad hatches to get there. I think my first hatch (chickens) NONE hatched even though they all developed.
Sadly the only advice I have is to gather some more eggs and try again. Write down your numbers so when you start having sucess you can have your "map" for next time

Thank you for responding. I have the added fan option in mine. So you keep your humidity at 45 the entire incubation? Yes, will definitely try again and I’m taking notes of everything. I’m determined to learn how to do this.
I hatched chicks last month and had 4 late quitters (17 healthy hatched). Seems like humidity is a killer if not right.

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks for responding. They were pretty wet in there, but I did leave them about three days over just in case. Do you think 75 is too high for the humidity?

75 for lockdown is fine (65 or 70 would be high enough too), but the 55% for the first part of incubation was likely too high if you were seeing excess liquid in there - it means they didn't lose enough moisture over the entire incubation period. I would try lower next time, maybe around 40%.

 

[CostaMesaQuail]

I would have thought if the legs were splayed or deformed that could be because they took to long to break out the egg. 36 hours is a long time for quail. I would think that humidity was the problem. Are you sure your hygrometer was giving correct Reading?

Thank you for responding. I figured the leg issue was because of how long they stayed in the egg. Not sure why they couldn’t make it out?
The only thing I have in the bator is the digital temp/humidity reader that came with the bator. Probably not the best option?

 

[CostaMesaQuail]

75 for lockdown is fine (65 or 70 would be high enough too), but the 55% for the first part of humidity was likely too high if you were seeing excess liquid in there - it means they didn't lose enough moisture over the entire incubation period. I would try lower next time, maybe around 40%.

Ahhh that makes sense. Thank you! I know the shells are very porous. Will definitely try 40%!

 

[Sara L]

Maybe try adding a second hygrometer? I hatch in homemade incubators and I use
AcuRite 00325 Indoor Thermometer with Digital Hygrometer and Humidity Gauge, I found mine at Walmart but they probably sell them elsewhere and online. I know it's probably not entirely accurate humidity % but I have had good hatches with it. I second the recommendation to decrease the humidity during the first part of incubation. I usually keep mine closer to 20-30%, I think 55% is way too high. I try to get my humidity to 70-80% at lockdown until all the eggs are hatched.

If you don't already, try keeping an incubation log, each time you check the incubator write down the time/humidity/temp readings and track how successful the hatch was (eggs set/fertility/healthy chicks) so you can tell what you might need to change for future hatches.