How to Incubate Quail Eggs

Quail eggs are fragile and require constant heat in order to hatch properly. You must keep them incubated in either a homemade or store bought incubator set at the right temperature for hatching quails. The incubator is the most important part of developing healthy quail, since eggs that are left out in the cold, even briefly, may not develop right or may die. On the other hand, an incubator that is even a few degrees above normal may crack the eggs and kill the embryos.

Things You'll Need

• Incubator with thermometer
• Nest box
• Flashlight

Instructions

1. Gather eggs and hold them up to a flashlight to see if there are signs of life. Look for a hazy red area near the pointed end of the egg and look for cracks, which may prove fatal to the embryo inside. Keep the eggs at room temperature for up to three days after they are laid.

2. Set up your incubator to a temperature of 99.5 degrees F with 60 percent humidity. This is the perfect temperature for quail eggs. Let the incubator regulate itself for a few hours to make sure there are no malfunctions.

3. Place your quail eggs inside the incubator about 3 to 7 days after they have been laid and make a note of the date you first placed them in the incubator and when they hatch.

4. Turn each egg onto its other side every six hours and check the temperature and humidity every day. If you fail to turn the eggs regularly, the embryo may attach to one side and fail to develop properly.

5. Stop turning the eggs after 13 days inside the incubator. Watch the eggs around day 16 for signs of hatching.

6. Transfer the baby quails to a warm nest box seven hours after they hatch.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not help the hatchlings out of their shells. You may do more harm than good.

References

• Agricultural Alternatives: Bobwhite Quail Production