Button Quail Lockdown (no pipping)?

[cuckleberry]

There's a hole at the top of the incubator that's been open since the start.

If need be I can bump the temperature up slightly but I'll wait for your response for that.

And we are incubating 11 egg! Originally we got 12 but one had a tiny crack we didn't see until it was put in the incubator. Once we saw it was damaged, we removed it. (It was all within the first day.)

I've honestly been on the fence as to whether or not I want to candle them. I've heard the phrase "shrink-wrapping" so many times, however, that I'm far too scared to try. Plus with it being this late in the hatching process, I think my luck would be better if I wait.
For future reference, however, is there a safe way to remove eggs from an incubator at any point during lockdown, or no?

 

[cuckleberry]

SO!
This had to have just been luck but I got up 10 minutes ago. As of the last few nights I've been getting up within 2-3 hours to check. (No alarm, just instinct I guess!)

Annnd one had just hatched!!! Still very wet. This feels unreal. I didn't think anything of the noise til I actually looked. I'll try to get a clear picture later but I am beyond excited right now!!!

I'm with the little baby right now peeping with it. I know it's probably tired but anything to look out for? I don't plan on keeping the chick on there for more than 6-10 hours.

Edit: Our lil chick zoomed and got stuck between our hygrometer and the incubator wall. We noticed a tiny lil string connected to the egg shell and its rump. Is this normal? It looks like a strand of hair.

 

[007Sean]

SO!
This had to have just been luck but I got up 10 minutes ago. As of the last few nights I've been getting up within 2-3 hours to check. (No alarm, just instinct I guess!)

Annnd one had just hatched!!! Still very wet. This feels unreal. I didn't think anything of the noise til I actually looked. I'll try to get a clear picture later but I am beyond excited right now!!!

I'm with the little baby right now peeping with it. I know it's probably tired but anything to look out for? I don't plan on keeping the chick on there for more than 6-10 hours.

Edit: Our lil chick zoomed and got stuck between our hygrometer and the incubator wall. We noticed a tiny lil string connected to the egg shell and its rump. Is this normal? It looks like a strand of hair.

The string, is it's umbilical. It will dry very soon and fall off, nothing to worry about or do!

 

[cuckleberry]

The string, is it's umbilical. It will dry very soon and fall off, nothing to worry about or do!

Thank you so much! She's really active now so I'm sure it'll happen soon enough.

 

[cuckleberry]

Sorry for the poor quality. I took these about an hour ago but now she won't sit still at all!
No signs of pipping on the other eggs just yet, but I'm sure they're well on their way!

 

[cuckleberry]

Another series of dumb questions.
Since she ended up being a great soccer player, she's rolled all the eggs around and kind of clumped them in the middle. Do I just leave it be?

And when I remove her in a few hours, will she be okay if she's alone? Is it normal to have one hatch early? (I'm assuming yes to that but I just want to be sure.)

 

[cuckleberry]

Another update-
We removed her from the incubator. The humidity dropped to 47 but it's up to 70 again. Did we damage our chicks with the drop?

 

[aart]

Another update-
We removed her from the incubator. The humidity dropped to 47 but it's up to 70 again. Did we damage our chicks with the drop?

No opening the bator is fine, within reason, especially if humidity goes right back up.
Riskier to do when other eggs are pipped tho.

 

[cuckleberry]

Thank you!! I'm not sure if other eggs pipped yet. I only noticed one with a small crack but hopefully they'll be okay.
I'm amazed at how over the course of 3-4 hours, she popped on out! She is starting to eat and drink, but all she wants is warmth. Her brooder is set up and has torn blankets inside, but she seems to like being swaddled instead.

I do have to leave for about 30-45 minutes today, do you guys think she'll be alright alone?

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

Congrats! She will be fine. For future reference you may be able to hatch cracked eggs by putting nail polish or candle wax on the crack. I've hatched some cracked eggs this way. They were later in their incubation though and if you are worried about bacteria entering the eggs or if they had entered them before you got the eggs then yes throw them out.