How and When You Should Candle Your Quail Eggs

[@KellyBell1]

I am brand new to incubating any eggs at all but, I decided on Quail eggs. Subscribed !😁 We’re excited and our incubator is ramping up for the next few hours. YAY! 🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚

[@naturallybalancedfarms]

Thanks for showing this! I never candle my quail eggs but I should. I do my chicken eggs only at lock down. But I appreciate seeing it done.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I usually don't bother doing it myself but it isn't that hard to do and there isn't any reason not to.

[@jodyflores601]

This was a great video and the "lightbulb" eggs showed up very well. I didn't candle eggs this round but I may do it next time. I ended up with 15 infertile/never developed eggs. I had 83 eggs, 15 infertile and hatched 56. I think I did decent for my first time hatching. Thank you for sharin', excited for your hatch. :)

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Congrats on your hatch. I think you did very well too. Good job.

[@amalsolehah4123]

I love that you respond to most of the comments. It makes it easier for me to know more! thank youuuuu

[@BackwoodsRaised]

Great video. You have been my go to man for doing quail. This is first time doing quail and you have helped me so much. Thank you for sharing.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I am so glad to hear that. Thank you so much for watching my videos.

[@mikemccleery7253]

Just finished my combination grow out and breeder cage. your channel has been very helpful in getting me started glad to see your a handgunner and bow hunter as well

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you for watching my videos. I am so glad that you are finding them helpful. Honestly though, not much of a bow hunter. The bow was a hand me down and I never got good at it. :)

[@itsaudreybee]

Thanks for all your content, Chris! I've learned so much about quail from you, and I have my first round of quail eggs in the incubator right now! Keep on keepin on.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Awesome. Thank you so much for watching my videos. I am glad you find them helpful.

[@thechaoticbug8203]

How are your quail doing? My first round is currently in the incubator due to hatch on the 18-21

[@jmom5735]

Thank you for your channel! I took the plunge and now have 29 chicks 🐥. First order 11/13 hatched (2 infertile) but I killed two out of anxiousness to take out of incubator .... just so damn cute and helpless, I took out too early and they died. Incredibly, the rest hatched, I think because they hadn’t pipped (sp?) so the humidity/temp change didn’t effect them - lucky. 2nd order of 32, I was at 21 hatch after 3 days of lockdown and I removed them to brooder. A few more hatched but my incubator bottom has some larger holes on the sides and 3 ended up getting their heads stuck and subsequently drowned. Anyway! Thank you - I have watched your quail videos more than once and have learned so much! Most of your advice, I heeded, and the advice I didn’t, splat - I lost chicks 🤔. Thank you!

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you so much for watching my videos. I am so glad to hear that things are going well for you. Sounds like you have had some very good hatch rates. Well done.

[@snarkydinkfarm329]

Getting ready to take the plunge into quail... I appreciate your sharing of information and experience... Shortly after quail it'll be time to start raising rabbits...

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you so much for watching my videos. I am glad that you are finding them helpful. Good luck with your birds, and eventually with your rabbits.

[@andrewhill4226]

Good video and we saw how some were fertile and others not fertile. Duck eggs are very easy to check after about 4 days and great to see the heart beating away and swishing about. I have 10 quail eggs in a small incubator for a friend, as I have done all sorts over the years. 73's Andy M6APJ

[@UndefinedBailiwick]

I'm in the process of incubating quail eggs for the first time that I ordered though Ebay (about 100 total). I'm on day 12 and I candled my eggs on days 5 and 10. It seemed to work out for me because I found a couple on day 5 that were leaking from tiny cracks. I pulled those out and sanitized where they were at. I assume it could've been disastrous if I left those bad eggs in the incubator for much longer. On day 5, I also moved the ones that showed little to no development on the front egg turner rail. In doing this, it made it easier to check them again and hopefully lessened the spread of any potential bacteria. On day 10, I only checked the ones on the front rail and discarded all the ones that were glowing as shown in the video. I know the main things key to a successful hatch rate are proper temperature / humidity control, turning the eggs, cleanliness and removing bad / infertile eggs, but I was wondering what else could help. I've read on some forums that people put dilute oil on their eggs to mimic oils that would come from the mother hen sitting on them. That supposedly softens the eggs, which makes it easier for the chicks to hatch. I was thinking of covering a piece of paper as wide as the incubator with quail feathers and leaving it on top of the eggs for a day or two while they're on the egg turner. I don't know if that'll do anything, but I'm just trying to mimic nature as best as I can. I've seen videos of mother quails in nature with tons of chicks around them that all look healthy. They must be doing something right to have that many hatch.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Interesting. I have never heard of putting oil on the eggs. If it were me I wouldn't put a large piece of paper over them. That seems like it would really shut off the fresh air. Honestly, I think if you keep it clean and get the temp and humidity right that is about all you need to do (along with turning them of course).

[@micheler3011]

Thanks for sharing this video, omg that’s a lot of quails to hatch, hope they all do. God bless you and your family!

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you so much. I am hoping for a great hatch rate as well. God bless you too.

[@aljazherodez6364]

i'm now on day 4 and i hope they will all hatch

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Good luck with your hatch. Waiting can be the hardest part.

[@rag1201]

@@vannicaruana1142 Lols 😅

[@LWren-nr6ud]

I always candle my eggs at day 7 and 15 to get rid of any infertile or ones that stop developing, so that after 24-48hrs of the fist hatch I can check for struggling chicks. I really stacked the odds against myself for my next hatch, I've only got 3 males and 21 females (I only wanted the quietest pretty males) and its winter so they're not breeding or laying much. 80 ish eggs and I got 7 fertile hahaha luckily I got 2 from my biggest eggs that are 13-15g so hoping to breed up some nice big jumbos soon!

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I have been in that situation before myself. Luckily, as long as you have any fertile eggs, you can ramp back up pretty quickly with quail. Good luck with your breeding plans.

[@waltervaughanjr4909]

Hey I watch your videos weekly man I've got a question for you my daughter unplug my egg roller to charge a phone I found out 48 hrs later so no rolling for 2 days what do you think the possibility of any hatching are?

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I wouldn't worry about that at all. They will probably be just fine.

[@michaels9926]

Since you are a hunter you probably have some old scope rings laying around. They fit great on the end of one inch LED flashlight. Makes a nice egg candler for quail eggs. I like to candle the eggs at lock down since I like to incubate as many eggs as possible and my separate hatcher is smaller than my incubator it gives the chicks a bit more room to hatch.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

That is a great idea. I will see if I have any laying around (I know I do somewhere just have to find them).

[@yukonjeffimagery]

I have a very poor hatch of mixed chicken eggs off ebay. Just one chick out of 14. The eggs lit up like light bulbs when I candled them today. had a lot of broken eggs in the box, The eggs were wrapped individually, with a piece of bubble wrap and put into a box. I am in Alaska so had a tough trip I imagine.I have 50+ quail eggs going into lockdown today.. Hope the quail hatch is better.Thanks for the great info.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I am sorry to hear about that. I am sure the seller did what they could to protect the eggs but, like you said, it is a long trip to Alaska. Hope you have much better results with the quail too. Good luck with your hatch.

[@yukonjeffimagery]

Thanks. I hope more than one quail makes it :)

[@ulrikemartin5175]

👍good luck with your hatch!

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you.

[@NonaMaryGrace1952]

Hello Chris, this is great to show. I should candle my hen eggs. I haven't. Thanks for sharing.💕 NonnaGrace

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you so much for watching. I am glad you liked it.

[@ferminmedina3260]

Hello Chris thanks for your videos , 15 of my quails died 6 hours after hatching , I knotice a bad smell coming out of the incubator.

[@jlbf0786]

You may have had it too hot in there, sounds like it could've possibly roasted them

[@SobrietyandSolace]

Hi, very guide I read seems to disagree, some say you need to incubate at 30-50% humidity then raise to 60% and up from lockdown whilst others are saying START ats high as 50% and go from 65-75% during lockdown/I have had mine at closer to 30-40% up to day 11 and now don't know if increasing humidity too much prior to lockdown will be a shock to the system. 5 out of 6 looked like they ere developing today. I might check them again at the end of day 13 because I don't want to mess with them to much from day 14 onwards

[@AloneInTheGarden]

I know this is an old post, but I’ve been told by many experienced quail breeders that humidity (up to day 15) is not as big a concern as is temperature. Keeping the right temperature means that any humidity is able to evaporate off the egg which is important. I’ve been told by some that they let the humidity drop down as low as 20-25% before lockdown and had no issues, while others kept a constant 65-70% because they had eggs of multiple stages in their incubator and needed the higher humidity for the ones further along. I think as long as it’s in the 60-70% range during lockdown/hatching, and not overly dry during the first 15 or so days, you should be fine!

[@marygracecabique1035]

do you still eat the non fertile egg that has already been incubated????

[@Slightlyrednecked]

no. They are not good for eating at that point.

[@Simplesuburbanhomestead]

Hey Chris I’m incubating celadon eggs and am on day 3. I candled them and can see quite a few with veins however I have maybe 5 eggs that look like they have bubbles in them and I can’t see veins. With those eggs being blue will it glow green and not yellow? I will candle again at day 15 before lockdown to throw out duds at that point. Thanks for any input.

[@rag1201]

Do I have any chances of hatching a slightly cracked quail egg? Or should I simply dispose it? I know it sounds stupid but I'm trying to hatch store eggs as I'm unable to get fertilized ones during the lockdown.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It is probably best to get rid of it. If you want to try to hatch it, try using some nail polish or something similar to seal up the crack. Otherwise you stand a good chance of bacteria forming and ruining all of your eggs.

[@rag1201]

@@Slightlyrednecked Thanks for the input. I probably get rid of it completely.

[@johnbrown2072]

i saw videos on youtube about hatching store bought quail. didnt have a high success rate but you will get some quail to get you started

[@rag1201]

@@johnbrown2072 I tried hatching 2 dozen store eggs.. None of them hatched, guess my bad luck!!

[@PondamnsOutdoors]

Good informative video as always

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you. i am glad you liked it.

[@waltgreen217]

If you don't candle, when do you throw them out the ones that don't hatch. and what are the chances of a stinky explosion? This thing is in my house.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It does happen from time to time but it really isn't all that common. Just handle them carefully and it should be fine.

[@gcranch9913]

How long after “lockdown” do you wait for all the eggs to hatch. Most hatchabout 2-3 days later, but will others hatch 4-7 days after lockdown? Or should one discard the unhatched eggs 4-5 days after lockdown? Or sooner?

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I generally remove all birds that have hatched after the first 2 days. Then I add water if it is needed to keep the humidity up and close the incubator back up. I usually have more birds hatch. It usually takes a total of about 5 days for all the birds to hatch. I just remove the hatched birds every 24 to 48 hours (after the first batch) and add water if needed. I hope that helps.

[@gcranch9913]

Slightly Rednecked thanks for the info. I did the same and had a couple more hatch but they were sickly and didn’t make it. Was wondering how much longer you gave them to hatch before calling it a day. Thanks. Enjoy your videos.

[@praveenraj78]

HI Chris what would be the lower to higher level of humidity level we have to maintain during quail eggs lockdown period.

[@cathalmire]

How long can you keep them out if the incubator without harming the chicks? Was going to check mine on lockdown day.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It really isn't much to worry about. You should move fairly quickly but if you don't have them out for any more than 20 minutes, they should be fine.

[@cahmarcomsonnyk.320]

Can you show inside of the discarded eggs please? If any development was seen?

[@jenniferdonnelly7120]

Thank you for another great video with great advice

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thanks for watching. i am glad you liked it.

[@megmartinez9145]

how do you hold onto the eggs before you incubate. do you have to put them in the refrigerator or do you just hold them out on countertop. how long can you keep it out before you have

[@megmartinez9145]

To incubate was the last part that didn't show up

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Eggs can be stored about 10 days before incubating. Try to keep them between 50 and 70 degrees (F). The refrigerator is usually too cold but I find that a cooler with a freezer pack in the bottom works pretty well for me. I hope that helps.

[@JA-bu6xu]

seven days then the egg loses fertility

[@BellaOde]

What does it mean to go into lockdown? As opposed to just being in the incubator?

[@lynndusk2346]

At the last few days when you stop turning them and stop opening it at all until they hatch.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

basically what After Dusk said. About three days before the birds are do to hatch you remove the egg turner (stop turning the eggs) rais the humidity a little (to about 65% to 75%) and shut the incubator up. Don't open it again until the hatch is finished. I hope that helps.

[@thechaoticbug8203]

It’s my first time hatching them, I’m on day 3 or 4 and I don’t really see anything in them, I’m trying 48 but I haven’t candled them all

[@Slightlyrednecked]

You probably won't see anything until at least day 10. I don't bother candling at all until i go into lockdown and then just throw out the eggs that glow and are empty.

[@thechaoticbug8203]

Slightly Rednecked I ended up seeing some the next day, they develop over night I swear -3- they’re doing pretty good :)

[@BackwoodsRaised]

Oh no, I need some advice please. I did this before watching your videos. I have 40 eggs in the incubator but there are only about 10 that are coming to the day 15. The rest still have a day to 4 day until they get to day 15. I. Any go into lock down cause I still have to turn eggs twice a day. What should I do.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

If it were me i would go ahead and go into lock down at this point. The other eggs will probably do ok not being turned for a few days. Good luck and I hope it works.

[@RichpearlsTalkzz]

I am not turning my eggs once every 4 hrs, 2 days after only did it

[@Slightlyrednecked]

You don't need to turn them every 4 hours but it is best to turn them at least twice a day for the first 14 days.

[@robertforest89]

Do the quail eggs still need to be rotated? Thanks, Chris.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It is best to rotate them during the first 15 days of incubation.

[@amalsolehah4123]

I’m currently on day 2 of hatching quail eggs but my diy incubator’s temperature doesn’t go up and stays around 88 f .Is that a No or a Maybe?

[@awesomekoga7848]

For quail eggs, it should be between 99.5-100.5 Fahrenheit for it to develop and hatch.

[@brink3538]

I use a wet paper towel to regulate humidity and have 0 issues so I can't see cardboard being a negative

[@1safeplanet785]

Great video Chris as always. I plan on making my next hatching egg purchase based on the results of your experiment with Pharoh vs Meatmaker. Right now I have about 45 mixed colored coturnix in my birdroom in my basement. I keep that room cleaner than most people clean their houses. I've been eating about five a week due to the birds fighting and injuring eachother. Once the ratio of rooster to hen goes bad the only thing to do is cull them rather than just have one or two left in a cage. I've learned that trying to introduce adult birds into an adult flock is pretty disastrous. I didn't know what to do with all the eggs I was getting anyway. Thankfully my husband just loves to eat quail. I watched your video on your garden. I felt bad that you will have to replant part of it due to slugs. I hate slugs!!! Crazy weather. It was in the 40's at night here near Boston and its 80 degrees today. We have had a lot of rain too. I am very tempted to put some of my indoor started plants out now. I think I will wait another week just to be safe. Wild rabbits got under my floating row cover and ate all my red cabbages that were doing really good. Gardening sure has its ups and downs. Candling looks like a lot of fun. I've rigged my incubator so I usually don't open it at all during the incubation process. I may open it the next time at lockdown to candle when I do a small hatch just for the fun of it. Best wishes to your wife and hope she is feeling okay.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you. It can be difficult to combine older birds but it can be done. Fighting is always something you deal with though. We have tons of rabbits here too, they ate all my wife's strawberry plants until we put up a fence and re planted those. Best of luck with your plants and hatches.

[@mlcafe]

One of my quail eggs rotted and cracked by day six. Big surprise! I took out the remaining eggs, laid them on a heating pad, and wiped everything down with a wet paper towel. The smell is atrocious. It’s more or less back to normal. Hopefully the remaining eggs will still have a chance.

[@sailingdev]

Update?

[@mlcafe]

@@sailingdev 4 hatched! One hen and three roosters. It was a variety of eggs - all surviving quail are white.

[@libradog293]

i managed to make a chicken accept quail eggs... everything was going good but then some were braking... spoiled, and now they are 2-3 days after the 18days and the ones that had an embryo developed a dark goo ... what could have gone wrong?

[@gilarredondo2864]

I just canddle mine today too i got 20 out of like 80 eggs kind of figure i only have one rooster for eight hens which i lost two today do to heat nd bucket was low on water another one was week i hope she makes it

[@Slightlyrednecked]

20 is still plenty to get your flock back up to size. So sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the heat. I hope that the rest of your birds make it.

[@Eddiedoherty22]

How long will you leave the chicks in the incubator after they hatch.. THANKS

[@Slightlyrednecked]

You can leave them for up to 3 days but I usually remove them after about 36 hours. Just make sure they are dry and fluffy before moving them.

[@yourmomma1710]

so how many actually hatched considering they were cooling down the whole time you was candling them ect.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I don't remember the exact number but I had a pretty good hatch rate. The short time they were out of the incubator doesn't really affect them much.

[@awesomekoga7848]

In nature, a hen will leave the eggs to find food to sustain herself so the eggs are left alone. If you open the incubator for a few minutes, it should be ok as long as the temperature isn’t freezing. I feed and rescue wild chickens and there are times the chicken will leave the best to eat but I try to feed her so that she can nest & eat in the bush she laid in.

[@daniel51404]

Is it normal for baby chicks to have watery diarrhea or white foamy diarrhea? I am feeding them Game bird show bird feed and they have a quart water feeder, I also added a half tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to their water I heard it stops their diarrhea.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It is pretty normal when they first hatch and up to about a week old. After that it usually starts to clear up on it's own. Sounds like you are doing everything right. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you start having more problems.

[@daniel51404]

@@Slightlyrednecked thanks.

[@larawaldron7878]

We got quail eggs (by got i mean someone gave us them unexpectedly) so we are doing research and we cant get our incubator below 39°C is that heat to hot or is it good

[@Slightlyrednecked]

That is a little on the hot side. You really need it to be about 37 C. If you haven't already, make sure to take out the vent plugs. That might help a little.

[@larawaldron7878]

@@Slightlyrednecked I have figured out how to sustain that temperature now thank you for the help!

[@B2Hives]

Good Egg, and Bad Egg's get the good old Willy Wonka.

[@mojicalawncare8186]

Hello I I run my incubator about 3 days with 120 quail egg today I come back home I notice the second thermometer show around 97 but the thermometer from the incubator show 99.5 is been 3 day u think my hatch is ruined . I turn up the temperature on the incubator already

[@mojicalawncare8186]

I love your videos

[@jlbf0786]

No, your hatch would've been fine.. be sure that the 2nd thermometer is accurate before assuming the incubator is off a few degrees

[@nct.bubble]

Thank you 😊 for the info

[@kieranmcpartlan1050]

Hi Chris, if 5 of my eggs are glowing bright, I know so can’t hatch them but can I eat them or not?

[@RestWithin]

No way! Don’t eat them if they’ve been kept warm in the incubator, they will be off, bad, and will make you sick. You wouldn’t eat shop bought eggs that had been kept in a warm environment would you.

[@yardpimps8327]

You may as well try it let us all know

[@padraigcunningham3199]

if they are in lockdown on day 15 can you still candle them or would it threaten them

[@Slightlyrednecked]

That is really pushing it. It would be best to just wait and see what hatches at that point.

[@dawnpollard4057]

I can candle mine, now issue. I find looking for airsack is easiest

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I agree, that is the easiest for sure.

[@WhoisMichelleCollie]

might want to redo this one, the camera is having a problem focusing and your hand was out of camera shot.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It is always tricky to show things and keep my hands out of the camera. I probably should redo this one. Thank you for the feedback.

[@anthonylott4569]

How long does for Quail eggs for Quail eggs to hatch

[@tyc7448]

18 days

[@anthonylott4569]

@@tyc7448 thanks for the help

[@joedefazio1464]

nice ammo reloader

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you.

[@anonymoose7481]

Its my first time hatching quail and i am on day 10 all i can see is a darker patch in most of my eggs i dont know whats ment to happen anyone who can give me sugeation would be greatly appreciated

[@Slightlyrednecked]

You probably won't be able to see much more than that. But a dark spot is a good sign. If the egg is completely hollow just throw it out. Other than that, just wait and see how it goes. Good luck with your hatch.

[@anonymoose7481]

Thankyou very much ive been worrying about them.

[@Connorstbird]

What is lockdown?

[@RestWithin]

Lockdown is the point where you stop turning the eggs and don’t open the incubator in order to maintain the humidity level inside it. Opening the incubator causes great fluctuations in the humidity and if this happens during the last few days of incubation the chicks could be shrink wrapped in their membrane and potentially suffocate.

[@willdwyer6782]

When an egg is close to hatching you have to keep the humidity high because once the shell cracks, the amniotic sac can dehydrate and kill the chick before it's done hatching. That's what lockdown is for.

[@moh3119]

😅😅😅 in few days my first hatch 🐣

[@willdwyer6782]

The cardboard getting wet might increase the humidity by acting like a sponge and providing more surface area for water to evaporate.

[@user-kf2jm1yv4c]

I have two eggs that are dark. The bigger end of the egg has a good size air sac. I'm not sure what days they are because I found them in a carton at the market. Could the babes still be alive? I've been incubating in my bra. I have no incubator so I improvised as best as I could. 😆

[@DIOBrando-ur5we]

Did they hatch?

[@chasmofsar2691]

@@DIOBrando-ur5we If not, someone will probably be throwing away a very rotten smelling bra.

[@AloneInTheGarden]

This is wild and I’d be super curious to know if it actually worked!

[@JESSEPAVON]

5 minutes to start candling 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@sampathfletcher5687]

You talk too much....... Unnecessarily

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I have been told that before.

[@photocan1828]

@@Slightlyrednecked I find your talking very informative. I prefer it :) you explain yourself very well. thank you for that!!!

[@Carlie_flower]

@@photocan1828 I agree. I find it helpful. I suppose if people don't like it they can read an article much faster.

[@Eddiedoherty22]

@@Slightlyrednecked your channel you talk as much as you like. We are listening..