You might want to order more eggs than needed since some may get destroyed along the way. Many mail order companies only ship eggs in large batches, so check the seller’s policy before you buy to make sure you can get the quantity you want. [1] X Research source
You may need to wait until your hen is mature enough to consistently produce eggs. For example, most bobwhite quail don’t begin laying eggs regularly until they are about 22 weeks old.
Do not wash or rub the eggs. The eggs have a special coating which protects them from bacteria, and by causing friction or washing the eggs you get rid of the special coating.
Turn the eggs if you have them in storage for more than a week. You can increase the humidity level in the storage area by placing a shallow pan of water near the eggs. Purchase an indoor humidity meter at a pharmacy or home supply store to monitor the humidity level in the room. Before incubating the eggs, remove them from the cool storage area and allow them to warm up gradually to room temperature. This will reduce condensation on the eggs, which can stimulate the growth of harmful bacteria on the shells. [6] X Research source
If you don’t want to purchase an incubator, you can build your own using basic supplies that you can buy in any hardware store or find around the home. It’s a good idea to get the incubator up and running 24 hours before you’re ready to set the eggs. This can help ensure that the incubator is running properly before you use it and that conditions are right when you put the eggs in. [8] X Research source If you’ve used the incubator before, make sure it’s clean before you put any eggs in it to prevent microbial growth and contamination.
While around 50% humidity works for most quail varieties, some breeds, such as bobwhite and jumbo quail, do better at 55-60%. [10] X Research source If the humidity level is too low, the egg shells and membranes may become to hard and thickened for your chicks to break through. Humidity that is too high can also make hatching difficult or cause the chick to drown in excessive fluids.
Put several thermometers in different parts of the incubator so that you can check to make sure that the incubator is evenly heated to the right temperature. Check these thermometers multiple times daily so you can detect any temperature fluctuations. If your incubator is unevenly heated or you notice a lot of temperature changes throughout the day, this may mean the incubator isn’t properly insulated.
The eggs should take about 17-25 days to hatch depending on what breed of quail produced them.
If you’re turning the eggs by hand, you might find it helpful to mark an X on one side of the shell so that you can tell whether you’ve turned them. Stop the process of turning the eggs 3 days before the hatch due date.
The preferred humidity level for incubation varies a little depending on the breed of quail you’re hatching. As a rule of thumb, increase the humidity level by 15% from whatever it was during most of the incubation period.
You may have a hard time seeing through especially dark or spotty eggshells. Continue to check the eggs occasionally throughout the incubation process. By around 3 days before the hatch date, you should be able to see a large, dark mass in the egg beneath the air sac at the wide end. [17] X Research source Don’t be alarmed if your chicks begin to hatch a little earlier or later than you expected.
Hatching is a long and difficult process, and it may take a little over 24 hours for each chick to emerge. Discard any eggs that aren’t hatched within 1-2 days after the due date. Wait until the chicks are at least 90% dry before taking them out of the incubator.
The brooder should be large enough to house your chicks comfortably. Aim for . 5–1 square foot (0. 046–0. 093 m2) of space per chick. Place bedding in the brooder, such as straw, paper towels, or pine shavings. Avoid cedar shavings, since these are toxic to the chicks. Quail chicks are messy, so be prepared to clean the brooder and change the bedding at least once a week! In addition to bedding, the brooder should contain a shallow water dish, chick crumbles (baby gamebird starter food works best), and an infrared heat lamp.
Dip each chick’s beak in the water dish as you transfer them over to encourage them to drink immediately after hatching.
Keep the water shallow and place small stones or marbles in the dish or around the base of the waterer to prevent your chicks from drowning. You can also prevent spills and drowning by using a nipple waterer. [22] X Research source After about 3 days, you can remove the paper towels and sprinkle the food directly on the bedding. The chicks should be able to find it more easily by then. You can stop crushing up your chicks’ food by the time they’re around 1-2 weeks old.
Place thermometers low in the brooder (at chick height) so that you can make sure you are maintaining an appropriate temperature. Putting the thermometers too high may give you an inaccurate reading.
