Susan Skylark
Songster
Does anything actually keep coturnix quail from hatching (decent hatch rate, nothing is 100 percent) assuming temp is appropriate and stable, the eggs are fertile, and you turn them occasionally? I’ve been playing with variables surrounding hatching and nothing seems to stop the little buggers (small sample size, can’t draw statistical conclusions ). My current hatch had 80 percent humidity the entire incubation period (intentional, was using incubator as directed with water bottle attachment) and during hatching it is 90, I have two out and the other two are pipped and cheeping (day 17).
My first eggs were shipped, squashed, 8 days in transit, the autoturner wasn’t working well, and my temp was a degree low and still hatched 6/8 (on day 19/20!).
My current 2.5 week old chicks were in the fridge and or not turned for up to a week before incubation with 31/33 eggs developing (I took 12 to hatch) and 4 early embryonic deaths (day 3-6), one per treatment group.
I’ll try a completely dry hatch next (incubator runs at low twenties) save lockdown.
Is this just a quail thing or are other birds this tough? Maybe it is just Murphy’s law: if I had a $200 peacock pheasant egg to hatch it wouldn’t, but silly little quail, get them by the dozen!
Definitely addictive!
My first eggs were shipped, squashed, 8 days in transit, the autoturner wasn’t working well, and my temp was a degree low and still hatched 6/8 (on day 19/20!).
My current 2.5 week old chicks were in the fridge and or not turned for up to a week before incubation with 31/33 eggs developing (I took 12 to hatch) and 4 early embryonic deaths (day 3-6), one per treatment group.
I’ll try a completely dry hatch next (incubator runs at low twenties) save lockdown.
Is this just a quail thing or are other birds this tough? Maybe it is just Murphy’s law: if I had a $200 peacock pheasant egg to hatch it wouldn’t, but silly little quail, get them by the dozen!
Definitely addictive!
