Will my quails hatch? HELP

[sparkled]

Hey, I 'm very new to this whole Quail thing, so bear with me.

Earlier this summer, I set up a small incubator with 4 Cotrurnix quail eggs. I was very diligent about turning them, checking the tempurature, and making sure there was water inside the incubator.

Saturday was Day 18, and now it is Day 20 and still no action. I have to admit that I have not yet candled these eggs, because I don't know how.

So, will my eggs ever hatch?  Also, what it the latest date that they could hatch? HELP PLEASE!

Thanks

[RedOakGamebirds]

When you said small incubator for some reason chick bator came into mind.  Coturnix can hatch as early as 14 and late as 22 days depending on your conditions.  Hatching early and late are not really good signs because it can be a sign of problems that have or will develop.  If you run the heat too high they will hatch early-too low they will hatch late.  The later they hatch the harder it will be.  Chicks may dry in the shell especially if the humidity is low.  Coturnix are hard to candle but it can be done if you do it on a regular basis.  For every 1/2 degree you are low it will be approximately 10-12 hours late in hatching.  Same goes for high.  Best thing to do being this late in incubation is to let them go a few more days and wait.  If you dont see anything after 22-23 days break them open to see what went wrong.  Could be you had infertile eggs to begin with.  Opening the incubator too much after the 10-12th day will drop your humidity.  Chicks need the humidity during this time to successfully hatch out properly. 


Larry

[sparkled]

Thanks for relpying so quickly.

If anyone else has something to say, please say it!

[magnumhntr]

I think Larry covered it nicely. There really isn't much more to add, as that's as simple as it gets....

[sparkled]

Well..this incubator is very hard to get at the right temperature. You said that if the temp was too high, they would hatch earlier. Recently, the temperatue has wanted to stay around 103-104, and it's Day 21, and still no action. Are you sure that if the temp is too high, they will hatch early?

[gp]

is your thermometer acurate?do you have a hygrometer to see what your humidity is?

[sparkled]

I'm pretty sure it's accurate. It's even touching the eggs.

And no, we cannot tell what the humidity is, but the dome over the incubator is fogged and damp, so I'm pretty sure its humid enough in there.

[gp]

your humidity could be to high.and they are drowned

[sparkled]

Uh oh...

It has also been way way way too humid for comfort here in New England..could that be a factor?

[gp]

yep it could

[sparkled]

Is there anything anything that I could do? I was really looking forward to having little quail chicks for the summer.

[ssbuman]

Those Chick Bators have been the biggest source of heartache for anyone hatching eggs as they are notoriously inaccurate in temp and humidity. 

[Johnny Glades]

I concur with ssbuman, they are a heartache, and big disappointment, especially for little kids trying to hatch eggs.