Hatching Quail at Home: The Process, The Challenges & The Joy

Hatching my own quail was one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences I’ve had. There’s something truly magical about watching tiny chicks emerge from their shells, knowing that I had a hand in bringing them into the world. Although this happened last year, I never got around to sharing it at the time. But looking back, it was such a unique and valuable experience that I wanted to document it now for both myself and for anyone curious about hatching their own quail. The initial plan was to build up the number of egg layers in my group, but clearly you can’t ensure that they will all be female.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to hatch quail, or if you’re considering trying it yourself, this post will take you through the entire process that I used. What worked for me, what didn’t, and what I’d do differently next time. Whether you’re a seasoned poultry keeper or just someone who loves the idea of raising tiny, fast-growing birds, I hope you find this helpful!

I already had a small flock of seven Coturnix quail, so instead of buying fertilized eggs, I simply collected my own. Coturnix quail are known for their fast growth, high egg production, and friendly temperament, making them an excellent choice for small-scale homesteaders, or even back gardens. It was rewarding to use eggs from my own little group, knowing exactly where they came from and that they had been well cared for. There was also something deeply satisfying about the full-circle moment of raising these quail, then using their eggs to hatch the next generation.

The Quail Hatching Process

Before I even set my eggs in the incubator, I spent a long time researching the best methods for hatching quail.  Unlike chickens (which I have yet to try hatching), quail eggs are much smaller, have slightly different humidity requirements, and tend to hatch a little faster. I really wanted to do this process well but as cheaply as possible. Therefore, there was a lot of DIY on my part.  Here’s what I used to get started:

The Incubation Setup

• Incubator: I used a DETODDA Incubator, that I got from Amazon for around £70.

  
  

• Eggs: I used my own quail eggs from my girls, that I collected over the period of one week. I stored the eggs at room temperature with the tip facing down until I was ready to put them in the incubator.

  
  

• Temperature & Humidity: Quail eggs incubate at around 37.5°C (99.5°F) with a humidity level of 45-50%, increasing to 65-70% during “lockdown”. The Incubator that I used had a temperature control but no way to monitor humidity. Therefore, I ordered some Digital Thermometer Hygrometer’s to have as a back up.

  
  

• Turning the Eggs: Since quail eggs need to be turned multiple times a day, the incubator that I had came with an automatic egg turner to keep things consistent.

  
  

I found that the temperature and humidity controls of the incubator were not ideal. It was very difficult to monitor things without the back up sensors that I got. I also found that I had to wrap towels around the incubator to ensure that the temperature remained consistent. The incubator had two external humidity reservoirs. For the majority of the time only one was needed. However, during ‘lockdown’ (the period when they are due to hatch and you increase the humidity) I used both reservoir and it was still difficult to maintain the correct humidity. On the whole the incubator did what it needed to and worked surprisingly well for the price I paid. Especially considering some are much more expensive!

Hatching Day: The Moment of Truth

The eggs went in on the 21st April, after having run the incubator for 48 hours empty to get it up to the correct temperature. After about a week we decided to candle the eggs. This involves holding the eggs up to a bright light to see if there is any growth or movement. We had initially put 13 eggs in the incubator, only 7 had any signs of growth. We removed the eggs that had no signs of growth, as chances are they weren’t fertilised.

On the morning of the 9th May (After about 18 days) we had our first signs of hatching.  We had little movements and the first pips (the chicks make a first little hole in the shell of the egg). It was such an exciting and nerve-wracking moment. I spent hours watching, waiting for the first little beak to break through. By 8:30pm we had our first little baby. I had set up a webcam so that I wouldn’t miss a single moment and managed to get footage of most of the hatching 😊 It would be sometime before the next babies hatched, I went to bed on the 9th and in the morning there were four fluffy babies cheeping away. Unfortunately, one little fella didn’t make it out of the egg and must had passed in the night. Quite upsetting for all of us (especially Luke), but it is all part of the process. Finally, the remain chicks hatched, and we had six new little damp fluff balls.

They remained in the incubator of quite sometime before being removed. Baby quail don’t need to eat or drink in the first 24 hours, as they have enough nutrients from the egg yolk etc. When they were completely dry, it was time to move them to their new home.

Raising the Quail Chicks: The First Few Weeks

Once all the chicks that were going to hatch had arrived, it was time to move them into their brooder. Quail chicks are incredibly tiny and fast, within hours, they were already running around like miniature dinosaurs. They were so cute and seriously entertaining to watch! Millie the dog was mesmerised! I even had to cover part of their brooder to stop her becoming too obsessed.

Brooder Setup & Early Challenges

• Heat Source: I used a chick heat plate instead of a heat lamp to keep the brooder at the right temperature. I used the same thermometer I used for the hatch to monitor the temperature both under and outside of the heat source.

  
  

• Food & Water: I had ordered quail chick crumb for the internet, and it arrived just in time. Initially, the food was just placed on the floor to allow them to learn to eat, which they did very quickly. For the water, rather than buying something, I made a little drinker from an old bottle and a small plastic try. Quail chicks can easily drown, so the area where they could drink was very small.

  
  

• Brooder: the brooder itself was simply just a large storage tub, with a DIY mesh lid. It worked really well. However, I made a very big mistake of putting newspaper down on the base! Read about why that was wrong below!

  
  

During the first few days, I kept a close eye on them. All the chicks learned to drink and eat within an hour. Happily coming in an out of the heat source to feed. They were growing at a shockingly fast rate! In fact, I had to order a new storage tub to move them into as they very quickly outgrew the first one. It was a matter of days before they looked like grown quail. They grew adult feathers incredibly quick. Before long they were ready to move to the outside world!

What I Loved About Hatching Quail

There were so many rewarding moments throughout this experience. Some of the best parts included:

• Watching the eggs hatch and seeing life emerge before my eyes.

  
  

• Seeing how fast and independent quail chicks become, despite seeming so tiny and fragile.

  
  

• Learning about the different personalities of each chick—some were bold and adventurous, while others were a little more shy. Some would happily jump into my hand and cuddle up, where others would run and hide.

  
  

• The satisfaction of knowing I successfully raised my own tiny flock from scratch!

  
  

What I’d Do Differently Next Time

While the experience was amazing, there were definitely a few things I’d change if I do this again:

• Be More Selective About Eggs: Some of my eggs turned out to be infertile. Next time I would probably consider getting eggs from a few sources.

  
  

• Not use Newspaper: I used news paper initially in the brooder, and this meant that the little chicks legs were sliding all around. Luckily, I realised my mistake as soon as I noticed one chick struggling to walk. The chicks needed a more grippy surface to prevent splayed leg. Luckily, I caught it before It need a brace.

  
  

• Plan Ahead for Housing: They grew faster than I expected, and I had to scramble to move them into a larger space earlier than planned.

Final Thoughts: Would I Hatch Quail Again?

Absolutely! Even with the challenges, hatching quail at home was a fascinating and rewarding experience. I’d love to try it again, applying the lessons I’ve learned to make it even more successful. If you’re thinking about hatching your own quail, I highly recommend it.