Should I incubate longer?

[chickdaddy103]

Hey there, I have a batch of 20 good, fertile eggs that have been candled and we're alive as of day 14. It's now 18 and no hatches! How long should I give them?? They are coturnix btw

 

[feedman77]

day 21 is about as long as I'll go before I candle and toss.

I could ask a bunch of questions.

incubator still air or forced?
temp during incubation?
humidity for 1st 14 days?

these could all effect the day 18 hatching time frame.

any pips or do you hear peeping?

 

[chickdaddy103]

day 21 is about as long as I'll go before I candle and toss.

I could ask a bunch of questions.

incubator still air or forced?
temp during incubation?
humidity for 1st 14 days?

these could all effect the day 18 hatching time frame.

any pips or do you hear peeping?

It's a forced air incubator, kept the humidity around 45-50 percent with a temp of 99.6. I actually just had the first pip! How long until she gets out?

 

[JaeG]

It's a forced air incubator, kept the humidity around 45-50 percent with a temp of 99.6. I actually just had the first pip! How long until she gets out?

It could take around 24 hours for the baby to break free. Some pop out sooner but don't panic if it seems to take forever. They do a lot between the time they pip until they finally break out. Just make sure the humidity is high enough to prevent it becoming shrink wrapped. Good luck.

 

[Binki]

Yes keep the lid closed to keep the humidity up, once they've pipped if there's too little humidity the membrane can dry and turn to inescapable leather :O

I take mine out when they are nearly dry once a day for two or three days (for late hatchers) and I have a friend help me to minimize humidity loss.

It helps to shine a light on one side of the incubator to get the chicks to run over (they're attracted to the light in their dim incubator) so you can slide the lid over and have the friend or vice versa pick them up to the brooder a few feet away

 

[Binki]

Have you brooded coturnix before? They need extremely shallow water or they will drown and need their pellets crushed up for the first two weeks or so and you also have to show them what to eat/drink xD