Early Hatch

[stew]

What kind of date range for hatching can you expect?  I put a batch of 46 eggs in on November 30 at 9:30 am.  I pulled the egg turner this morning at 9:30 am'ish and pushed the humidity up to 80% or so.  I was kind of expecting some activity this Monday (23rd day).  About 9:30 pm tonight I had one start piping and it broke free around 10 pm or so.  So we have a solo little guy flopping trying to get his legs under him.    Is he just a little ahead of his time or is there a couple of day window on hatching time?


This is my first batch of quail and I've learned a ton reading through the forum.  Thanks for all of your help!

Mark (S)

[slider]

You always have that 1 or 2 that want to show out and get a head start on everybody else...do not worry about it, it is a good sign...and by the way...... 

[wildergamebirds]

  You didn't say what the eggs were.  Assuming Bobwhite.  Regardless, it is not unusual for the hatch to be stretched out over a 48hr. period.  Especially in the case of breeding by someone who has missed a couple of lessons.  Also, if the ages are different age by over 14 days and not kept at or near 55F.  Also assuming there is no other pipping taking place.  If there is, they may all come a little early due to slightly high temperature.

  Not a whole lot that can be done, now, anyway.  While you're waiting, do a search of related topics, here, there is plenty of information.  If he is safe in the incubator (no chance of getting out, or getting into a fan, etc.), he can say there for up to 48 hrs.  24-36 would be better, but alone, he'd have more chance of chilling too much.

  Also, drop the humidity to about 70%, 80% will drown them, especially if they are on their sides (and I bet a Quarter they are).

[CharlieHorse]

I agree with what they said.  I've had them to continue to hatch for 4-5 days past the due date also, although the really late ones tend to have problems, such as straddle leg, etc.  The majority usually hatch at about the same time.

Good Luck and   

[mobe_45]

 
I agree with charliehorse. Really late hatchers are not worth the time waiting for them.
You'll always seem to have a couple early and late. I figure anything longer than 24 hours after the main hatch will either not hatch or have major problems as they grow.
Since I started out with really small egg numbers I tried to "save/help" stragglers and weak hatchers. Over 90% of them either died shortly after or had leg/other problems. I've learned it's better to have fewer strong birds than create problems for myself.
One other reason to not wait four days or longer after the first one hatches is the last ones will be treated as foreigners and get pecked on badly. BW's are really bad for this.

[tweezy50]

I've had the same results with my coturnix.  At first I tried to save all I could, but soon found that the late hatchers ended up dying anyway.  Mother Nature has no room for the weak, unfortunately.

Better to concentrate on the strong ones and move on to the next batch.

[wildergamebirds]

  I'll add that, if you do save stragglers, mark, or separate them, do not, ever, never, ever, use them as breeders.

  That is what causes increasingly longer hatches (among other things.

[stew]

Thanks for all of your suggestions.  I have the humidity down to 70% and hope I didn't flood any of them.  The book I had suggested 80% the last few days,  I guess that's what I get for: 

The first one didn't make it through the night.  The second just hatched an hour or so ago and seems to be stronger than the first.  Hopefully more will pop out overnight/Monday. 

It's kind of funny, the rest of the family hasn't been interested in the incubator up until now.  Now they are checking in every hour or so to see what's going on. 

Mark

[slider]

I hope that you have a glass top or front that they can see thru and are not opening it.....at all....

[stew]

Using a Hova-Bator with windows.  I've been opening it 2x a day to add water otherwise the humidity drops off quickly.  I should probably find a way to add water without opening the Bator.  The temperature/humidity has been solid (99.5 and 60%) the last 22 days.  I guess I will find out Monday/Tuesday what the rest of the hatch rate will be. 

Mark

[wildergamebirds]

  You didn't drown them in that short time.  It happens as they are ready to pip, if the fluid in shell hasn't evaporated right amount.  And more so, if eggs are not upright.  But, don't try to stand them up, now.

[slider]

If you need to add water do it through the hole with the red cap....

[mobe_45]

Using a Hova-Bator with windows.  I've been opening it 2x a day to add water otherwise the humidity drops off quickly.  I should probably find a way to add water without opening the Bator.  The temperature/humidity has been solid (99.5 and 60%) the last 22 days.  I guess I will find out Monday/Tuesday what the rest of the hatch rate will be. 

Mark

That's about what my hovabator runs. I get hatch rate of 85-90% of the fertile eggs. I don't count the infertile eggs in hatch rate. With them included it would run about 65-70%

[CharlieHorse]

I should probably find a way to add water without opening the Bator.

Some have punched a hole in the styrofoam and insert tubing/straw/etc. and a small funnel in order to add water.  Or use one of the red plug holes as some other fella mentioned.  

[stew]

Well,  it's been a good learning experience.  The first 2 that hatched didn't make it.   There are a few more breaking loose tonight, a day after the expected hatch date.  I have had a tough time keeping the temp up the last three days.  I'm guessing it's mostly trying to keep the humidity/temp  up in a really dry house that made for the late hatch.  It looks like we will be at around 12 hatched out of 44.    I tried candling early on but wasn't really sure what I was looking for so we left them all in.

So a combination of shipping them in freezing weather, unfertile eggs, and an experiment in keeping the temp/humidity stable is the learning experience.  It's interesting watching the really strong hatch vs. the once that probably will not make it.  The strong ones are looking up through the window, marching around the bator and look like they are ready to fly.  The weaker ones are barely able to keep their heads up and their legs under them.

I'm thinking about letting the remaining eggs go until the day after christmas (day 27), just to make sure they have all had a chance.  We are looking forward to the next batch to see if we can do better then next time around.  I will let you know what the final results are. 

I was using the Walmart purchased Acurite temp/humidity unit.  For the next hatch I have ordered the GQF 3018 Temp/Hygrometer in hopes of getting a better read. I had the Acurite  and the thermometer shipped with the Hova-Bator running side by side early in the period.  The GFQ thermometer currently reads 99.5,   the Accurite reads  93.4 (inside) and 88.5 (outside) so a pretty wide variation on temps between the 2 units.  The Walmart special is going into the trash after this and I will calibrate the 3018 to make sure it's accurate for the next hatch.  I have been depending on the Acurite for the majority of the hatch since it gave me temp and humidity.  I did a comparison between the 2 during the first 5 days of incubation and thought the GQF thermometer and the Inside reading on the Acurite were close.  Now they are reading about 6 degrees difference. 

Live and learn.  I am hoping the GQF 3018 will give a good dry/wet bulb reading so I have a closer read on temp/humidity on the next batch.  For the $10 difference between the two units, it's worth the small investment.

At the end of the day, watching the wife and kids excitement over the little guys breaking out of their eggs and running around the Hova-Bator is worth more than the price of admission.

Thanks for all of your help and have a Merry Christmas!

Mark