Our quail eggs have started to hatch!

[Gypsy & Me]

Originally Posted by piptickle

There are now four! I have transfered them to the brooder (its fab I'll post pix later-we're off to the dentist for a check up in a min) I'm going to leave the other eggs in the incubator for another 24 hours-the special scope I bought to view the eggs did'nt work because the eggs were too small so I've no idea if they're going to hatch or not! I know I should have candled them but it won't do no harm to wait and watch! AThey will stay with us til they're 5-6 weeks by which time they will be fully feathered and trying to mate(assumming we have a mix of sexes)!

Ohh can't wait to see new pics of them. Are you going to keep us dated right up till they leave? I'm really excited about the idea of watching them grow up.

What does the scope do and what does candled mean? Sorry, I'm just really interested in this.

[GurleyGirl]

Very interesting video.... what do they eat?

[piptickle]

Originally Posted by Gypsy & Me

Ohh can't wait to see new pics of them. Are you going to keep us dated right up till they leave? I'm really excited about the idea of watching them grow up.

What does the scope do and what does candled mean? Sorry, I'm just really interested in this.

Yeah! If people are interested, I'll update as they grow! The scope attaches to the incubator, with chicken/duck eggs you can actually see the chick developing inside the egg! But it did'nt work when I tried it with the quail eggs! Candling is basically holdind a torch (you can buy special candler torches) up against the egg so you can see whats happening inside. After so long (a weekish) if the egg is fertile you should be able to make out the shadow of an embryo!

Originally Posted by GurleyGirl

Very interesting video.... what do they eat?

I have made a mixture of ground chick crumbs,ground dried ferret food(high protein) and finch seed. In a week or so thye can have finely chopped fresh greens too and as they grow small mealworms and other tiny feeder insects. I won't need to ground the food as they get bigger and at 5-6 weeks they move onto layers pellets for game birds aswell as greens/insects/finch seed and millet! I have to fill the water bowl with marbles too as for a week or so after hatching they have the urge to get into waterand would either end up drowning or get so wet they would develop pneumonia and die. While the marbles are there they can drink from the tiny gaps without being able to submerge themseleves!

[Gypsy & Me]

Originally Posted by piptickle

Yeah! If people are interested, I'll update as they grow! The scope attaches to the incubator, with chicken/duck eggs you can actually see the chick developing inside the egg! But it did'nt work when I tried it with the quail eggs! Candling is basically holdind a torch (you can buy special candler torches) up against the egg so you can see whats happening inside. After so long (a weekish) if the egg is fertile you should be able to make out the shadow of an embryo!


I have made a mixture of ground chick crumbs,ground dried ferret food(high protein) and finch seed. In a week or so thye can have finely chopped fresh greens too and as they grow small mealworms and other tiny feeder insects. I won't need to ground the food as they get bigger and at 5-6 weeks they move onto layers pellets for game birds aswell as greens/insects/finch seed and millet! I have to fill the water bowl with marbles too as for a week or so after hatching they have the urge to get into waterand would either end up drowning or get so wet they would develop pneumonia and die. While the marbles are there they can drink from the tiny gaps without being able to submerge themseleves!

I'm definitely interested and I'm sure there are probably others too... I hope anyway so you carry on posting. That's cool you can get things that can see into the egg. I bet this is great for your kids to learn and watch.

That's a clever idea about the marbles, wouldn't want anything to happen to the little babies.

[MinMuf1]

Did any more hatch yet? I'm routing for all ten to hatch!!!

[bchgirl]

I wanna see pictures!! Years ago a friend raised quail...I swear the little babies look like cotton balls with toothpick legs.

[piptickle]

The tiniest egg of all hatched yesterday! So now we have 5! I've left the incubator on but I don't think anymore will hatch now, I'll turn it off either tonight or tomorrow morning. I do have more pix, I'll sort them out and post soon.

[luvfla]

Ah the miracle of birth. Was you daughter completely awed by it?

[Gypsy & Me]

Originally Posted by piptickle

The tiniest egg of all hatched yesterday! So now we have 5! I've left the incubator on but I don't think anymore will hatch now, I'll turn it off either tonight or tomorrow morning. I do have more pix, I'll sort them out and post soon.

Aww, can't wait to see them!