Author Topic: Quail eggs hatching early (Read 5034 times)

sokel · « **on:** June 03, 2013, 08:43:48 pm »

I have Quail eggs in the incubator and tonight 1 chick is out and others are chipping even though they are only on day 15

We had a bit of a delay getting them in as we had to get a new incubator when the old one decided to not work
Could them sitting in the tack room on a warm day have set them off developing before they went in ?

in the hills · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2013, 08:53:04 pm »

We have had them pip on day 16 and everything was fine so hopefully won't make too much difference.

Maybe some early development did take place.

I wonder if they would hatch a touch early if the temp. in your incubator was a little high $:-\$ ... ?

Still here's for a good hatch

doganjo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2013, 09:39:50 pm »

I'd love to have quails but i was told not to bother as they always fight, and if they didn't kill each other they'd die of drafts. Is that true?

sokel · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2013, 09:48:51 pm »

I have just started with them again by getting hatching eggs. I kept them many years ago in the bottom of the bird aviary, they used to go through a hatch into the outdoor flight even when we had rain/snow. they still seemed to live around 2 - 21/2 yrs living like this and all of the eggs where always fertile from them

in the hills · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2013, 08:07:32 am »

Doganjo- The males will fight and are in general very aggressive. Females are usually fine though and live together peacefully within an existing group ..... introducing new birds of any sex can be tricky but not impossible.

We have found them to be hardy little birds and they survived those -20 nights of the recent bad winters with no problems. They were outside on the grass in coops .... did cover the coops at night for a bit of extra protection but that is all.

If you hatch your own, then you have the problem with the males but if you bought some females and a single male as young birds then ....

.... lots and lots of eggs.

doganjo · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2013, 12:50:10 pm »

Thanks, ItH - ebay? or do you know of someone in Scotland (preferably Central) where I could buy some - and what price would I pay?

in the hills · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2013, 01:15:25 pm »

Sorry, don't know of anyone that far North.

If you were interested in adult birds, they are available around here for £5 per bird. The only thing I would say to be aware of is buying from someone reputable because IMO it is difficult to tell their age .... much more so than with hens where it is pretty easy to tell a pullet from an older bird.

If you want to try hatching, there are lots advertised on E-bay and we have had good results this way. Very good from a Quail Farm in Wales. Forget it's name but you would find it in a search ..... just a bit far for eggs to be sent I suppose and the boys are a problem this way

. You could eat them though.

Padge · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2013, 07:42:15 am »

There are several TAS members bought our quail eggs and had good results

Sokel..........we've had plenty (100's) pip on day 15 and hatch day 17 ....is no problem.....tho we haven't found them to be particularly hardy during the harsh winter we.ve just had.