How to Incubate Button Quail Eggs
The short version
| Incubation temp (forced-air) | 99.5–100°F (37.5–37.8°C) |
|---|---|
| Still-air temp (top of egg) | 101–102°F (38.3–38.9°C) |
| Humidity (days 1–lockdown) | 45–55% |
| Humidity (lockdown–hatch) | 65–70% |
| Total incubation | 16–18 days |
| Lockdown day | Day 14 |
| Candle around | day 7, day 13 |
Day-by-day schedule
| Day | Phase | What to do | Temp | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–7 | Incubation | Set the eggs small-end down or on their side and turn an odd number of times a day (3–5), or use a quail rail in an autoturner so the tiny eggs don't roll. Their smooth, speckled shells are hard to grip — handle with clean, dry hands. Candle around day 7 if you can; veining is faint in a 5 g egg, so don't cull on a doubtful reading yet. | 99.5–100°F | 45–55% |
| Days 8–13 | Incubation | Keep turning and hold temperature steady. Candle before lockdown to pull obvious clears (infertile) and quitters so they don't spoil among the fertile eggs. Top up water channels — small incubators dry out fast and a humidity crash before lockdown is common with tiny eggs. | 99.5–100°F | 45–55% |
| Day 14 | Lockdown | Stop turning. Lay eggs on their side, raise humidity to 65–70%, and keep the incubator closed — opening it now can shrink-wrap the tiny chicks. Some hatchers lock down a day earlier (day 13); go by the drawn-down air cell rather than the calendar alone. | 99.5–100°F | 65–70% |
| Days 15–16 | Hatch | Chicks internally pip into the air cell, then externally pip the shell. Button quail chicks are bumblebee-sized and hatch quickly once they start. Resist opening the lid — even a brief humidity drop can stall a pipping chick. | 99.5–100°F | 65–70% |
| Days 17–18 | Hatch | Stragglers finish, especially from cooler incubators. Leave hatched chicks to dry and fluff for several hours before moving them to a secure brooder — newly hatched button quail are small enough to slip through standard chick-brooder gaps. | 99.5–100°F | 65–70% |
Temperature: forced-air vs still-air
Button quail incubate at the same temperatures as other quail. In a forced-air incubator (one with a fan), set 99.5–100°F — Mississippi State University Extension's quail guide lists 99.75–100°F at set for a forced-air machine, and 99.5°F is the common industry target across quail species.
A still-air incubator has no fan, so warm air layers near the top. Measure temperature at the top of the eggs and run 101–102°F there — the same extension guide cites 102°F for still-air. A still-air unit reading 99.5°F at egg-top is actually running cold, which delays or fails the hatch.
Timing and why button quail are the fastest hatch
Button quail are the smallest domestic quail and among the fastest to hatch. The University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web gives an incubation period of 16 to 19 days for Coturnix chinensis, with 16–17 days most commonly seen in incubators; for comparison, Japanese (Coturnix) quail run about 17 days and bobwhite 23–24 days. Plan lockdown for day 14 (some hatchers use day 13) and expect the first pips around day 15–16.
Because the eggs weigh only about 5 g and measure roughly 24.5 × 19 mm, everything happens on a compressed timeline. Small errors in temperature or humidity that a chicken egg would shrug off can end a button quail hatch, so accurate instruments matter more here, not less.
Candling tiny, speckled eggs
Candling a 5 g button quail egg is harder than a chicken egg — the shell is small and often heavily speckled, which scatters the light. Use a bright, focused LED candler in a dark room and rotate the egg to find a clearer window between the spots. Candle around day 7 to look for a web of veins, and again just before lockdown to pull clears and quitters. When a reading is ambiguous, wait for the next candle rather than discarding a possibly viable egg.
Calculate your hatch dates
Enter the date you set your button 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
- In humid climates or with small tabletop incubators that hold moisture, a lower running humidity (roughly 30–40%) through the first ~13 days lets the air cell grow properly, then you raise humidity hard at lockdown. Watch the air cell, not just the hygrometer.
- Because button quail eggs are only about 5 g, they lose water fast and small humidity swings move the air cell quickly. Candle every few days and adjust to the air-cell size — aim for a clearly drawn-down cell by day 13–14 — rather than chasing a fixed number.
Shipped eggs
- Let shipped eggs rest small-end down for 8–24 hours before setting so jostled air cells can re-settle. The tiny, thin shells crack easily in transit, so inspect each one before setting.
- Shipped button quail eggs often hatch poorly — scrambled air cells and temperature swings in transit, not your incubator, are usually to blame. Set extras.
- If air cells look wobbly or detached, incubate upright in a foam quail-egg tray for the first several days and hand-turn very gently.
Common pitfalls
- Underestimating how fast tiny 5 g eggs lose heat and moisture when the lid is opened — work quickly and calibrate your thermometer and hygrometer first.
- Cracking the thin, fragile shells while handling or turning; grip gently and keep hands dry.
- Brooder escapes and drowning — day-old button quail chicks are bumblebee-sized. Use fine mesh or a tight-lidded brooder and fill waterers with marbles or pebbles so chicks can drink but not fall in and drown.
- Locking down late or turning past day 14, which interferes with the chick positioning to pip the air cell.
- Culling faint-veined eggs too early — veining is hard to read through a small speckled shell, so give doubtful eggs the benefit of the doubt until the second candle.
Frequently asked questions
- What temperature do I incubate button quail eggs at?
- 99.5–100°F in a forced-air incubator, or 101–102°F measured at the top of the eggs in a still-air incubator.
- What day is lockdown for button quail eggs?
- Day 14. Stop turning, raise humidity to 65–70%, and keep the incubator closed until the chicks hatch. Some hatchers lock down a day earlier on day 13 — go by the air cell.
- How long do button quail eggs take to hatch?
- 16–18 days, with 16–17 days most common. Button quail are among the fastest-hatching quail; a few stragglers may finish on day 18–19, especially in a cooler incubator.
- What humidity do I need for hatching button quail eggs?
- Around 45–55% for the first ~13 days, then 65–70% from lockdown through hatch. Because the eggs are tiny and dry out fast, use the air-cell size as your real guide — it should be clearly drawn down by day 13–14.
- Why are button quail eggs and chicks so hard to hatch and raise?
- The eggs weigh only about 5 g with thin, fragile shells that crack easily and lose moisture fast, so temperature and humidity errors are less forgiving. Day-old chicks are bumblebee-sized and can escape ordinary brooders or drown in open waterers — use fine mesh and pebble-filled water dishes.
- How do I candle button quail eggs?
- Use a bright, focused LED candler in a dark room and rotate the egg to see between the speckles. Candle around day 7 for veining and again before lockdown to remove clears and quitters. Don't cull on a doubtful reading — recheck at the next candle.
Sources
- Coturnix chinensis (king quail) — incubation period and egg data — Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (Reference)
- Raising Bobwhite Quail for Commercial Use — Egg Care and Incubation — Mississippi State University Extension Service (University extension)
- Humidity for Quail Eggs: Complete Chart for Every Species (button quail) — Incubator Warehouse (Reference)