Changing incubators during inubation

I've been inubating several Quail eggs in a home made inubator for around 5 days the problem is i've been having difficulty keeping the temperature at exactly 37.5 I've now purchased *awaiting delivery* a incubator can i move my eggs or shall i leave them in my home made one and buy another batch for my shop brought one?

Thanks!

i think you should be fine but make sure everything in the new incubator is working perfectly and run it for about 5 hours before moving the eggs because if its not warm enough or somthing is wrong you have a few hours to sort it out and l;et the temperature stabalize then move them quickly

Thanks i'll do that. I can't wait for it to come I think i've caught the bug already!

What incubator are you getting?

sam

Only a baby one for now RCOM 3 MINI DIGITAL INCUBATOR

Hi s25ale,

I bought one of these models for just hatching out the odd few male birds I need.

One thing I did notice with it is, if the eggs are large, make sure they are being turned. My first batch was hardly turning, so I ended up turning them three times a day. I got 5/7. My second lot I turned them all the way through incubation and got 6/7. I'm on a thrid lot now, due anytime and there is 6/6 fertile.

Derek.

yes had same problem with rCom 3 and rCom 20 with quail egg trays. If the eggs aren't of a particular size and shape then they just don't turn automatically.

Also the AC/DC plug adaptor failed on my rCom 3. Luckily I had a spare 12V adaptor from my dab radio.

Same here with the R-Com 3, I found it very difficult to get all the eggs to turn and it's a lot of fiddling about to try and get them to sit right, I had one that definately didn't turn all the way through incubation. But I hatched 4/7 for my first ever hatch so I'm pleased

Thanks for your advice everyone, i've read a little of Klaire's online hatching diary and noticed her eggs didnt turn (Very cute pictures by the way Klaire)so i was going to watch out for it. I think i'll follow your advise and turn them manually, part of me would prefer to do that anyway as to keep an eye on them.

Hayley.

Well my lovely little incubator is all set up and has 7 quail eggs in it i just hope the move and the temperature fluctuation from the home made incubator hasn't harmed them. I've been watching carefully and the incubator does attempt to turn the eggs but it only manages to move them about 1/4 of the way round so i've been turning them manually just to be sure.

** 13 days to go**

Good Luck!!

Hi s25ale,

Yes, I noticed the R-com3 only turned them about ¼ of the way round too. I now don't use the incubator as an auto now, but a manual. With only 7 eggs in there, it only takes a few seconds to turn all the eggs.

The last 7 eggs I had in which hatch last Saturday, 1 was clear, 5 hatched and 1 pipped at the wrong end, and could'nt get out. I just hope now they are males,lol.

Derek.

I have noticed the temp usually drops to about 34 while i'm turning but it soon gets back to 37. Sounds like you have had alot more success turning your eggs manually. Have you got some pictures?
I've ordered a candeller so i'll try and have a sneaky look when it comes. I'm hoping mine are females for my first batch don't want to be overrun with fiesty males.

Hi s25ale,

Sorry, I'll the worst photogragher in the world, I got a camera but that only takes pictures of things I don't want!

Yes, once you open the incubator, the temperature will drop, but as turning 7 eggs only takes about 30 seconds it will not affect the incubation one bit.

The last lot of eggs I hatched produced 2 males and 4 females, which is really a bugger, as I only got the R-com3 to hatch males. I use the Octagons for hatching all my femal birds. By doing it this way, I know which chicks came from and not inbreeding.

Derek.

Why do you use the Octagon for females but the R-com3 for males? Sorry i'm very much at the learning stage.

I'm planning to hatch two lots of birds and keep a male from one and the females from another - i should have brought a bigger incubator!

Hi s25ale,

From the octagon hatches, I select only the best 5 females all the rest are discarded (sold or culled/frozen). So that I don't get them mixed up, I hatch the 1 male I need in the R-Com3.

5 females from one breeder is enough for my breeding program, and I always buy another 12 eggs from someone else at the same time just for the males. It's the only way I can gaurantee I'm not inbreeding any of my birds.

Derek.

Thanks for the explaination, i'm sure i'll be back soon with lots more questions!