brooding

[i]I have hatched 12 chicks from 18eggs.7 hatched at given time,5 over the next 4days.The later ones seemed
smaller and more frail.Chicks moved to brooder(30degrees)after 24 hours.Feed is chick crumb and turkey starter.
Fresh water daily.This morning all 5 late chicks died.Am I at fault?Can I improve mortality rate?

Hi

It sound to me as if the later hatching chicks, we're just too exhausted to live. Being so late to hatch I presume they had used up all their yolk reserves and we too weak to feed & drink.

Suz

Should I stop incubation sooner?

That's a hard one to answer, Its really a matter of personal choice, I candle any remaining eggs to check for signs of life and then leave them an extra day or 2 giving any slow coaches a chance, but I know other breeder who turn off the incubator @ 18 days.

I'd be a bit concerned as to why there was such a big delay in the last chicks hatching, its more usual for quail to synchronize there hatch. The only thing I can think of is that your using a still air incubator and these eggs were in a cooler part.

Suz

With my Octagon 10 - a small basic incubator but with the addition of the auto turner, I hatched 19 out of 24.

I did notice that they hatched from the left hand side (nearest the heat source and ventilation) first, and the ones that did not hatch were at the far end. I did leave them another 24 hours ( after seeking advice) - but without even a twitch or sign of life I turned the incubator off.

I weighed the eggs and they were light - 2 weighed 6g. I have to confess that I did not open them to see what was inside. I was so delighted with the 19 that hatched that I focused on them.

As a beginner I can't give constructive advice I am afraid. But I wouldn't give up hatching.