Chick hatching question

[1nked84]

If you see a chick having problems hatching, can you help at all? Specifically button quail.

 

[Halloweengirl13]

I have helped button quail hatch before, the trick is slowly and carefully....very carefully.

 

[Del1977]

I have also helped coturnix quail hatch and as previous poster said, definitely go slow. Try to help in the way it would naturally zip and if you see fresh blood stop straight away. There are super good instructions somewhere on assisted hatching which are definitely worth reading before you start but I can't remember where they are sorry.

 

[dc3085]

If you open the incubator door and eggs are pipped you will kill every one of them by what we call shrink wrapping. Darwin selecting which chicks souldnt and shouldnt make it leaves you witha lot healthier birds in the long run. If they dont hatch easy and on time something is wrong with the chick or its egg.

 

[Halloweengirl13]

I would have lost a whole hatch of button quail if I hadn't helped and the rest of the eggs in the incubator at the time some of which were pipped did not die they hatched fine on their own I just add a bit of water and shut it back up.one of those who I saved is a lovely little golden pearl who has been hatching babies for me since she started laying, Even the strong need help sometimes.

 

[Del1977]

I have also helped many quail hatch without causing any problems to ones already pipped. Like you, I just add some extra water if I open the bator.

 

[dc3085]

You guys are talking about specific incidents with a couple quail. Ive kept notes over many thousands of birds. Assisted hatching may sometimes lead to a thrifty bird but most often it wont. Keep track of when they start to lay, egg size, hatchability of their offspring, etc and then you'll see that most of those birds arent of a similar quality as healthy birds. If youre doing this for pets i guess it doesnt matter but if youre concerned about genetics and thrift of the bird assisted hatching is a no no.

Also adding a little water to the bator wont save a pipped egg from shrink wrapping. If it was that simple you could just open the door whenever you want during lockdown.