Assist hatch or wait longer for button quail?

[Alien_she]

Hello!
New here, looking for advice.
I'm hatching button quail and I know this is a frequent question, I've read some of the other posts and going back and forth trying to decide if I should assist one of my chicks that has pipped and not making progress.
Background info - this is my first ever hatch, 12 went into incubator. On day 20 now, first two chicks hatched late at night on day 17 and early morning day 18. None of the other eggs showed any signs of hatching. I had quickly moved the two over to my brooder after they dried out. Then the evening of day 18 I noticed one pipping. He made some progress yesterday but this morning when I checked the egg looks the same, no more progress since last night. I can still see his little beak moving but it's now been over 24hrs, close to 36hrs. Do I intervene?
Attaching pictures. The incubator is probably not the best but it's what I could afford, automatic turner but had some temp issues at times where I had to bump up the temp as inside thermometer reading low. For instance right now set at 100 and reading 98. Humidity has been consistent 70-75 since lockdown.

 

[Alien_she]

He's starting to look a bit better, has more energy, is hobbling around the incubator and I think his neck is okay, he's preening/fluffing up his little baby fuzz with his beak. I'm not sure what hobbling is? I read a post about making paper tape "shoes" to straighten toes, might try that. Should I let him dry out in incubator first? Should I move him into the brooder with the other two?

Thank you so much!!

 

[Alien_she]

Okay that was a little overly optimistic of me... even when I managed to get the tape on with the toes fairly straight he couldn't really walk that way. I guess I just had to try


Ok so I tried again this time with bandaids and it seems not too bad. Not sure how straight the toes are staying but she's able to move around fairly fast and she seems pretty scrappy. Eating and drinking. They're my only 3 and as long as she doesn't seem to be suffering I don't mind the effort.

 

[Alien_she]

Bandaid shoes are off! Did a water soak with a tiny bit of baby soap. Toes are much straighter though not as separated as the others but at least the feet are making contact with the ground. Walking a bit awkwardly but hopefully just adjusting now that the bandaids are off. This is her (or him? ) in the front

 

[muddy75]

You can quickly and gently zipper the egg and pop the cap off being careful not to hit any veins that have not receded. Try to allow the chick to push out on its own. Depending on its position and how long it has been stuck, there is a high probability of curled toes and wry neck.
For future reference, it seems your RH% is a little high for buttons. Is your hygrometer salt-tested/calibrated? Ideal lockdown humidity is 60-65% max for most quail

 

[Alien_she]

so it seems like he's doing great! I have him in with the other two and they were pecking at the bandaids at first but they stopped, I think just curious. They all seem to be getting along and he's straightening his legs now (he was hobbling along the ground before). Next challenge will be figuring out how to gently take them off...

 

[Alien_she]

Hoping to be able to tell soon, their feathers have started coming in
But they are only 11/10/8 days old in picture order - Riker (my little #1 ), Frida (hatched on Cinco de Mayo), and Henny Penny (formerly curled toes).
I'll take guesses as to color and sex, I was hoping since they're growing up together they'll all get along but if 2 (or all ) end up being males we'll see.

 

[Alien_she]

You can quickly and gently zipper the egg and pop the cap off being careful not to hit any veins that have not receded. Try to allow the chick to push out on its own. Depending on its position and how long it has been stuck, there is a high probability of curled toes and wry neck.
For future reference, it seems your RH% is a little high for buttons. Is your hygrometer salt-tested/calibrated? Ideal lockdown humidity is 60-65% max for most quail

Thank you for such a quick response. I helped assist very gently with a pair of tweezers, did not see any blood and membrane didnt look dried out. But yeah not looking too good definitely curled toes on at least one leg and possibly wry neck I can't tell, having trouble standing. Is this from being stuck in the egg too long or is this what caused him to get stuck? I had read 65-75% for humidity but maybe that was written for other types not buttons, thank you for the info! Is there anything I should be doing for him to help increase his chances of making it or no?

 

[ButtonNomies]

That's a looooong time for hatching for buttons, mine pip on day 16/17 and are mostly all out by day 18. Sounds like u had the bator temp too low and the humidity way too high. I keep my humidity at a steady 50% throughout the who incubation and hatching process. And keep the temp at 99-100°F.

Pipping at day 20 is definately an indicator of too low temperature. Did u just use ur units thermometer? They tend to run a good couple of degrees colder thn u need it depending on the models. Always use an independent hydrometer inside the bator as well so u know where ur machine is at. Mine runs at machine gaged temp 40°C when internal temps are 37.3 ... thats a huge discrepancy.

 

[muddy75]

Thank you for such a quick response. I helped assist very gently with a pair of tweezers, did not see any blood and membrane didnt look dried out. But yeah not looking too good definitely curled toes on at least one leg and possibly wry neck I can't tell, having trouble standing. Is this from being stuck in the egg too long or is this what caused him to get stuck? I had read 65-75% for humidity but maybe that was written for other types not buttons, thank you for the info! Is there anything I should be doing for him to help increase his chances of making it or no?

Most recommended RH% are higher than necessary and it takes lots of experience to determine the correct % for your area. Chicken hatching can be way more forgiving than gamebird. I don’t go to great lengths to try and save chicks…..you can attempt hobbles to straighten toes, nutri-drench or vitamins/electrolytes to combat wry neck but I usually cull if they are not able to get around the brooder to eat and drink effectively. High humidity can contribute as well as deficiencies in parent stock. Malposition, shrink-wrap, and delayed progress can also contribute to the hatch deformities.