Quail Embryo Development

Quail are small, social birds popular in both commercial and home farm environments. They are also popular as pets, and are often kept in the barnyard as entertainment, rather than for food. Quail eggs are used in the same way as chicken eggs, but also serve the natural function of furthering the breed.

  1. Quail Facts

    • Quail are game birds, meaning they originated in the wild, and became popular in hunting. When their popularity as a food source grew, farmers began to raise them commercially, as a cash crop. Other game birds now raised commercially are pheasants, turkeys and guinea fowl.

    Incubation Needs

    • Quail require specific conditions for successful incubation and embryo development. These conditions are generally satisfied by a mother bird sitting on her nest, but can also be reproduced in an incubator. Keep quail eggs at temperatures of 99 to 100 degrees F, with the fan on. Quail eggs require humidity levels of 75% to 85%, and should be turned at least three times a day to encourage balanced development.

    Incubation Time

    • With the proper care, quail eggs incubate for 23 days before hatching. Any egg could take a couple days longer.

    Candling

    • During incubation, hold an egg up and shine a flashlight through it to look at the embryo's development. If you look at the egg every couple of days, you should be able to see the embryo growing and developing its skeleton and flesh. The egg will also become heavier. This is a good way to monitor an egg's viability. Even with careful incubation and care, some eggs aren't viable.

    After Hatching

    • After hatching, a quail needs continued care as it grows and develops. Many farmers and hatcheries keep young quails in warmers, or nurseries, at temperatures of 80 to 90 degrees F, until they're several weeks old. At that time, the baby quail is generally able to go out into the enclosure it will live in.