Probable Cause Corrective Measures Males undernourished Follow a recommended feeding program to provide adequate nutrition. Replace underweight males with vigorous ones Too few males Increase the number of males in the flock. Seasonal decline in fertility Use young cockerels more resistant to environmental stress. Competition among breeding males Do not use too many males. Rear all males together. Place temporary partitions within large pens. Diseased flock Conduct an approved disease control program. Frozen combs and wattles Provide comfortable housing. Properly select and maintain drinking fountains. Old males Replace with younger males. Selected mating in pens Artificially inseminate infertile hens. Replace males in the pen/house. Male sterility Replace males in the pen/house. Crowded breeders Provide recommended floor space, at least 3 ft²/bird. Improper artificial insemination techniques or use of old/over-diluted semen. Follow recommendations of primary breeder company. Eggs damaged by environment Gather eggs frequently (at least once daily). Eggs stored too long or incorrectly Store eggs at 50-60 degrees F. and 60% relative humidity. Incubate eggs within 7 days of lay.

Still Air Incubators: These incubators are not commonly used anymore for egg incubation.  Still Air Incubators, also known as Thermal Incubators, heat eggs using no air movement methods.  These incubators have been replaced over the last 15 - 20 years by Forced Air - Circulating incubators.  When incubating quail eggs in a Still Air Incubator, maintain a temperature of 103 degrees. The temperature should be decreased to 100 degrees during the last 1-2 days of incubation. Humidity is also necessary for a successful hatch.  However, humidity is difficult to measure in a Still Air Incubator.  It is recommended that a flat water pan covering the incubator floor be used to provide humidity. During the last couple of days of incubation sprinkle eggs with water to increase humidity slightly.

 

 

Forced Air Incubators:  This type of incubator is commonly used to incubate quail eggs.  Some examples of these incubators are shown on this page.  Forced Air Incubators maintain a constant temperature throughout the incubator by means of a circulation fan.  This method of incubation provides the most consistent air temperature and humidity of any incubation methods available.  Most of the Forced Air Incubators available for sale also can be adapted with equipment which allows turning of the eggs.

Turning of the eggs is essential to the incubation process. If eggs are not turned a minimum of 4 -5 times a day, the embryos inside the eggs will settle and the eggs will not hatch. It is advised to stop turning the eggs two days prior to hatching. This will allow the chicks to position themselves to hatch easily.

Temperature inside the incubator should be maintained at 99 1/2 degrees and a relative humidity of  60 %. During the final 2 days of incubation the temperature can be decreased one degree and the humidity increased to 70%.

The incubation process is often a result of trial and error. Temperature, humidity and turning of the eggs are three essential factors in a successful hatch.  It is recommended that you consult incubator documentation and more specific material available about how to incubate quail eggs before attempting to incubate eggs yourself.