Almost all of the eggs pipping at the wrong end (coturnix quail)

[Peristeria]

Almost all of the chicks are pipping at the wrong end and too early!!! What is wrong!? They're coturnix quail in a still air incubator and its day 17 for the ones that are hatching. One that pipped on the wrong end was in the fridge for a week (on accident then we decided to experiment) so I guess this is what we get for not following the rules .

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I believe day 17 is the proper hatch day for quail.

As for wrong eng piping they usually hatch fine on their own. Read the assisted hatching thread to be prepared if any do need help.

Congrats on the new little ones!

 

[Trisseh]

My batch all hatched between day 16-17. No problems there. About half of them pipped in the wrong end (shipped eggs) and I didn’t have to assist a single one of them. They should be just fine.

 

[Peristeria]

I'll let them be but they seem rly close to the end of the egg... what could cause this, they were incubated with the right end up?

 

[Ryan A]

I am sorry to hear about that. I suggest just see what they do, and let the birds handle it.

 

[Trisseh]

@Peristeria did you order eggs through the post? Shipped eggs always have more issues with malpositions, DIS, etc. No matter which way they are in your incubator. Mine were all incubated on their sides and like I said, about half of them were normal, and half pipped the wrong end. Keep in mind too that the wrong end pippers will take a bit longer to hatch because they’ve done an internal and external pip all in one go.

 

[Peristeria]

Trisseh, they were from our own quail, ngl, we had a better hatch shipped than fresh lol. I count day 0 or whatever makes it day 18 hatch day. Thanks to all of yall for the tips!

 

[Trisseh]

Huh. Not sure then. Haha. Unless something to do with storage? I’ve hatched a bunch of chicken and duck eggs but this batch was my first time hatching quail; but that was my experience with it. They popped like popcorn once they got going. They seem to be a lot more spry in general than the other species. Lol.

 

[Peristeria]

Update: One wrong end pipper is out but has a curled foot and yells a lot... her friends in the other eggs answer occasionally but I hope this isn't a bad yell! What can I do for the curled foot? Even better: he possibly has splay leg