Button Quail Lockdown

[Nabiki]

They ended up hatching later that day lol we had 3 hatch Sunday afternoon and then 5 more Monday morning. So 8 out of the 10 eggs hatched and are thriving and so dang adorable my heart can't stand it

I'm glad they hatched. I would definitely put a calibrated thermometer or three inside your incubator for the next hatch. I'm pretty sure your temp was a bit low.

 

[NewfoundMamaBird]

They ended up hatching later that day lol we had 3 hatch Sunday afternoon and then 5 more Monday morning. So 8 out of the 10 eggs hatched and are thriving and so dang adorable my heart can't stand it

There is nothing better in this world than baby button quail. But hatching is so sensitive to Temps. Just slightly off and everything is delayed. I never give up on any egg until at least day 22. And I water candle every one before I throw them out. My very first hatch I ended up taking 3 eggs to the compost 2 days after all the rest hatched, and at the last moment decided to drop them in a bowl of warm water...just in case. Inhad never before hatched anything so i was a total newbie. After the first egg settled from being placed in the water, I saw a very slight movement. I then did the other two and it was the same. It was so slight I thought I must have been imagining it, but I had to check. I ended up with 3 completely shrink wrapped, barely alive chicks that I had to perform extractions on in a complete panic (with no experience!). When I finally got them out I thought they would never survive. But I vowed to give them a fighting chance. It took 2 sleepless nights but they fought hard and those three are still healthy and happy almost a year and a half later! And now everything gets water candlesld and opened if they don't hatch. And I do it by day 21 just in case. Luckily I have had to do it very often.

 

[Nabiki]

There is nothing better in this world than baby button quail. But hatching is so sensitive to Temps. Just slightly off and everything is delayed. I never give up on any egg until at least day 22. And I water candle every one before I throw them out. My very first hatch I ended up taking 3 eggs to the compost 2 days after all the rest hatched, and at the last moment decided to drop them in a bowl of warm water...just in case. Inhad never before hatched anything so i was a total newbie. After the first egg settled from being placed in the water, I saw a very slight movement. I then did the other two and it was the same. It was so slight I thought I must have been imagining it, but I had to check. I ended up with 3 completely shrink wrapped, barely alive chicks that I had to perform extractions on in a complete panic (with no experience!). When I finally got them out I thought they would never survive. But I vowed to give them a fighting chance. It took 2 sleepless nights but they fought hard and those three are still healthy and happy almost a year and a half later! And now everything gets water candlesld and opened if they don't hatch. And I do it by day 21 just in case. Luckily I have had to do it very often.

Candling is a much better option that the float test (water). The eggs are porous and float testing is a good way to kill a chick.

 

[NewfoundMamaBird]

Candling is a much better option that the float test (water). The eggs are porous and float testing is a good way to kill a chick.

I candle for all normal checks while hatching, but do water candling as a final check when eggs are way past due. Of course it's only for a few brief seconds and never if there is a crack or pip in the egg. Have never had any water enter an egg while doing it.