How to Incubate Bobwhite Quail Eggs
The short version
| Incubation temp (forced-air) | 99.5–100°F (37.5–37.8°C) |
|---|---|
| Still-air temp (top of egg) | 102–103°F (38.9–39.4°C) |
| Humidity (days 1–lockdown) | 55–60% |
| Humidity (lockdown–hatch) | 65–75% |
| Total incubation | 23–24 days |
| Lockdown day | Day 21 |
| Candle around | day 7, day 14, day 20 |
Day-by-day schedule
| Day | Phase | What to do | Temp | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–7 | Incubation | Set eggs large-end up or on their side and turn at least 3–5 times a day (an odd number so they rest on alternate sides overnight), or use a quail-egg autoturner. Bobwhite eggs are small and speckled, so candling is harder than with chicken eggs — around day 7 look for the first spider-web of veins against the light. | 99.5–100°F | 55–60% |
| Days 8–14 | Incubation | Keep turning and hold temperature steady — bobwhite are unforgiving of even 1–2°F drift. Candle around day 14 to remove clears (infertile) and quitters (blood rings / stalled embryos) so they don't spoil and contaminate the batch. | 99.5–100°F | 55–60% |
| Days 15–20 | Incubation | Final turning days. The chick fills most of the egg and the air cell should be clearly drawn down. Top up water channels so humidity doesn't crash before lockdown. Give a last candle around day 20 before you stop turning. | 99.5–100°F | 55–60% |
| Day 21 | Lockdown | Stop turning — Mississippi State advises no turning during the last three days before hatch. Lay eggs on their side, raise humidity to 65–75%, and keep the incubator closed. Opening it now can shrink-wrap chicks. This is 'lockdown.' | 99.5–100°F | 65–75% |
| Day 22 | Hatch | Chicks internally pip into the air cell, then externally pip the shell. Expect faint peeping and pinholes. Resist opening the lid — a humidity drop stalls hatching siblings and can glue a half-hatched chick to its membrane. | 99.5–100°F | 65–75% |
| Day 23 | Hatch | Most chicks zip and hatch. Leave them in the incubator to dry and fluff for several hours before moving to a brooder. Bobwhite chicks are tiny; make sure hatcher vents and mesh won't let a newly hatched chick escape or chill. Stragglers can arrive on day 24. | 99.5–100°F | 65–75% |
Temperature: forced-air vs still-air
In a forced-air incubator (one with a fan) the whole cabinet sits at one temperature, so set it to 99.5–100°F. Mississippi State University Extension recommends keeping the temperature at 100°F throughout incubation. Bobwhite are especially intolerant of drift — a deviation of even 1–2°F above or below optimum reduces the hatch and produces weaker chicks.
A still-air incubator has no fan, so warm air layers near the top. Measure temperature at the top of the eggs and run 102–103°F there — Mississippi State cites 102°F for still-air units. A still-air incubator that reads 99.5°F at egg-top is actually running cold for bobwhite.
Humidity and the air cell
Run about 55–60% relative humidity (roughly 84–86°F wet-bulb) from setting until three days before hatch, then raise it to 65–75% (about 90–94°F wet-bulb) at lockdown — the figures Mississippi State Extension gives for quail incubation and hatching. As with any species, the single best check is the air cell: candle and confirm it is growing to about one-third of the egg by day 20. If the air cell is too small the eggs are too wet; if it is too large they are too dry.
How bobwhite differ from Coturnix quail
The most common bobwhite mistake is borrowing a Coturnix (pharaoh) quail schedule. Coturnix hatch in about 17–18 days; bobwhite need 23 days and lock down around day 21, not day 15. If you set both species in one incubator, tag the trays — pulling bobwhite for lockdown on the Coturnix timeline will kill the hatch. Bobwhite eggs are also smaller and more heavily speckled, which makes candling harder; use a bright pinpoint candler in a dark room and focus on the air cell and the moving embryo rather than trying to read fine detail through the shell.
Calculate your hatch dates
Enter the date you set your bobwhite quail eggs to get your candling, lockdown, and hatch dates — with a calendar download.
Pick a species and the date you set the eggs to see your candling, lockdown, and hatch dates.
Dry-hatch vs standard humidity
- Bobwhite run a bit wetter than chickens during incubation — Mississippi State cites 58–60% (about 84–86°F wet-bulb) rather than the mid-40s. A 'dry hatch' for bobwhite still means watching the air cell rather than chasing a number: run toward the lower end (roughly 40–50%) in a humid climate and let the air cell grow to about a third of the egg by day 20.
- Whatever running humidity you pick, raise it hard at lockdown. Mississippi State increases relative humidity to 65% or more (roughly 90–94°F wet-bulb) for the hatch, because tiny bobwhite chicks dehydrate and stick to the shell quickly if the air is too dry while they zip.
Shipped eggs
- Let shipped eggs rest large-end up for 8–24 hours before setting so scrambled air cells can re-settle. Bobwhite eggs are small and take knocks easily in transit.
- Shipped quail eggs often hatch well below the 60–70% you'd expect from local eggs — jostled air cells and temperature swings in shipping are the cause, not your incubator. Set more than you need.
- If air cells are wobbly or detached ('saddled'), incubate the eggs upright in a cut-down carton for the first week and hand-turn gently rather than tumbling them in a turner.
Common pitfalls
- Treating bobwhite like Coturnix quail — Coturnix hatch in about 17–18 days, but bobwhite need the full 23 days. Locking down or giving up too early is a common mistake.
- Running too much humidity. Bobwhite are sensitive to over-humid incubation; too-wet eggs produce swollen, mushy chicks that can't hatch. Candle the air cell and keep it growing.
- Trusting the incubator's built-in thermometer — calibrate against a known-good thermometer and hygrometer, because bobwhite tolerate almost no temperature drift.
- Opening the incubator during lockdown, which drops humidity and can shrink-wrap a pipped chick.
- Small chicks slipping through hatcher mesh or vent holes — line the hatching tray so newly hatched bobwhite can't escape or drown in the water pan.
Frequently asked questions
- What temperature do I incubate bobwhite quail eggs at?
- 99.5–100°F in a forced-air incubator, or 102–103°F measured at the top of the eggs in a still-air incubator. Bobwhite tolerate very little drift, so calibrate your thermometer first.
- What day is lockdown for bobwhite quail eggs?
- Day 21. Stop turning, raise humidity to 65–75%, and keep the incubator closed until the chicks hatch around day 23. Mississippi State advises no turning during the last three days before hatch.
- How long do bobwhite quail eggs take to hatch?
- 23 days (occasionally into day 24). This is longer than Coturnix quail, which hatch in about 17–18 days — don't lock down bobwhite early on a Coturnix schedule.
- What humidity do I need for hatching bobwhite quail eggs?
- Around 55–60% (about 84–86°F wet-bulb) for the first 20 days, then 65–75% (about 90–94°F wet-bulb) from lockdown through hatch. Use the air-cell size as your real guide — it should reach about a third of the egg by day 20.
- When should I candle bobwhite quail eggs?
- Around day 7 to confirm the first veining and again around day 14 to pull clears and quitters. Their small, speckled shells make candling harder than chicken eggs, so use a bright pinpoint candler in a dark room.
- Why didn't my bobwhite quail eggs hatch on day 23?
- Cool incubation delays hatching, so give stragglers until day 24 before giving up. Persistent late or failed hatches usually trace to inaccurate temperature (bobwhite are very sensitive), too-high humidity, or shipped eggs with damaged air cells.
Sources
- Incubation duration periods — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)
- Important incubation factors — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)
- Raising Bobwhite Quail for Commercial Use — Mississippi State University Extension / Department of Poultry Science (University extension)