My Quails are Hatching!!! I'm a mummy!

Qualara

Chirping
Sep 3, 2015
180
8
53
Australia
This is my very first hatching, I'm so excited! Two popped out about 20 mins after pipping, the others have pipped but are all taking their time. :D Looks like 100% fertility, and these are shipped eggs. :D Does anyone have any tips on quails when they first hatch?







 
Oh also, they are 3 days early. This is only day 15 they have been in the incubator. Is that normal for them to hatch early?
 
Day 15 pips are not really early from what I have heard. I am new to quail but... I have done two hatches so far. My eggs hatched on days 16 and 17 often after day 15 pips.
 
Day 15 pips are not really early from what I have heard. I am new to quail but... I have done two hatches so far. My eggs hatched on days 16 and 17 often after day 15 pips.
So the 4 eggs that are left and that have pipped on day 15 are ok to be left 2 days? It's been almost 24 hours since they pipped. Should I intervene? One has pipped a big hole but not going any further (first one who pipped at 6am this morning, it's now 9pm), the others have just cracked, no holes yet. What should I do?
 
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I wouldn't intervene, personally. If they can't make it out of the shell in their own, they probably won't have the vigor to survive. If you set them all at once, they should hatch all on one day. Any stragglers will most likely not make it... I would also recommend NOT helping them out of the shell, for the same reason.

I got great assistance when I hatched mine out; here's the thread for it :)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1007717/first-time-quail-mommy-nervous-about-hatch

I think the early hatch may be attributed to a temperature or humidity issue, and IMO would not wait more than 24 hours for the other eggs, especially if shipped. Shipped eggs have a 50% hatch rate, so if you ordered 30, and 16 hatched, that's actually pretty good odds. Fresh eggs have better hatch rates :)
 
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I wouldn't intervene, personally. If they can't make it out of the shell in their own, they probably won't have the vigor to survive. If you set them all at once, they should hatch all on one day. Any stragglers will most likely not make it... I would also recommend NOT helping them out of the shell, for the same reason.

I got great assistance when I hatched mine out; here's the thread for it
smile.png

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1007717/first-time-quail-mommy-nervous-about-hatch

I think the early hatch may be attributed to a temperature or humidity issue, and IMO would not wait more than 24 hours for the other eggs, especially if shipped. Shipped eggs have a 50% hatch rate, so if you ordered 30, and 16 hatched, that's actually pretty good odds. Fresh eggs have better hatch rates
smile.png


Well the temp was 38*C and the humidity was at 60 the entire time and I jacked it up to 70-75 when I put them on lock down, only one day before they started hatching. I set them on day 14, thinking they had 3-4 days left! Well they all have hatched now, all look ok but one is a little weak. I'll give him some electrolytes see if that helps him. One I did need to intervene a little, the membrane was glued to him, he had pooped in the shell and it had got it everywhere. It wasn't the yolk it was light brown and white like a poo. So I pulled some of the shell away and wet the membrane and he was able to pop out. :)
 

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