Your eggs are here. What you do in the next day makes a real difference. We use four steps: open, sort, rest and set.
1. Open the box right away
Bring the box inside as soon as it arrives and open it gently. Take photos of the packing and any damage before you move anything.
2. Sort the eggs
- Set aside any cracked or leaking eggs. They should not go in the incubator.
- Look for hairline cracks with a candler.
- Do not wash hatching eggs. Washing removes the egg's natural coating.
3. Let them rest
Place the eggs pointy end down in a carton or egg tray and let them sit at room temperature for about 12 to 24 hours. This lets them warm up slowly and lets air cells settle after the trip.
4. Set them
Have the incubator running and steady before you set. If an egg has a loose or moving air cell, many keepers leave those eggs still, pointy end down, for the first few days before turning.
When to candle
- Coturnix: around day 7.
- Bobwhite: around day 10.
Look for veins and a dark spot. Remove eggs that are clear or that show a blood ring, which means the embryo stopped growing. If you aren't sure, leave the egg in and check again a few days later.
Gear we carry
- Rechargeable LED Egg Candler – $19.99
- Hand Held Egg Candler – $11.99
- Pro24 Tabletop Automatic Egg Incubator (24 Eggs) – $179.99
- Why Your Quail Eggs Didn’t Hatch: The Complete Hatch Troubleshooting Handbook for Coturnix and Bobwhite Quail (eBook PDF) – $14.99
We raise our Coturnix and Northern Bobwhite quail ourselves in Mayo, FL, and our flock is NPIP certified. Egg orders over $40 ship free. Free shipping is for eggs only; supplies ship from the vendor with the vendor's shipping.
Learn more on our Coturnix Quail and Bobwhite Quail pages, browse Poultry Supplies and Hatching Time Gear, or read our quail care guide.
Shop Hatching Time quail gear: 4kbowen.com/s/hatchingtime
More quail guides:
- How to Incubate Quail Eggs: Day-by-Day
- How Many Quail Eggs Should You Order?
- Setting Up a Quail Brooder: The First 3 Weeks
- Coturnix Quail Hatching Checklist
Every purchase supports a disabled-veteran, family-owned company.
