Chick looks fully zipped...

[Kholts]

Okay so I am Day 19 with Coturnix. I had 2 this morning at 7:30am both burst out within minutes of each other. Then I have a 3rd one that seems to be lolly gagging. I noticed it was pipped through & starting to zip around the same time as the others. Now at 2:00pm (6.5 hours later) I swear it’s fully zipped & just has to stretch to get out. Am I being impatient or do you think it may be glued inside or in a bad position? It’s still moving.

2nd question: how often have you guys had only a couple hatch 1 day then the rest another? Other than the 3 I’m talking about I don’t see any external pips on the other 15...

 

[FloorCandy]

Do you see it still moving in there? Usually I’ll see mine kind of pulsating around the edges. If it’s day 19 and only 3 pipped, you could still get a couple, but I think most wont hatch. How many looked good when you last candled?

 

[JaeG]

I'd take the zipped egg out and take a look. If it is in slightly the wrong position it won't be able to push out. If it has unzipped it is ready to hatch so there shouldn't be any problem helping it the rest of the way.

I would candle the others (keeping in the same position they are sitting in in the incubator) and check for signs of life. A dead embryo sinks to the narrow end of the egg and leaves a watery gap between it and the bottom of the air cell with no veins visible. If they still look full and dark you should at least see them pushing against the membrane under the air cell, if not pipped internally.

 

[Kholts]

Do you see it still moving in there? Usually I’ll see mine kind of pulsating around the edges. If it’s day 19 and only 3 pipped, you could still get a couple, but I think most wont hatch. How many looked good when you last candled?

Yes it’s still moving. I can see what I assume is down or a beak poking out once in a while.

That’s the thing when I went to candle on day 10 I tried looking but either the eggs were to speckled or my light was not strong enough. I couldn’t get the best read on development. When I put them on lockdown I did notice that around 8 felt very heavy, 4 were kinda mid weight & 5 I found super light. So in my mind I wrote off the light ones as duds but still left them in the incubator. I positioned the eggs so I knew which felt heaviest & which ones were mid weight. I have a feeling my mid weight are the ones hatching as they are all in that area I put them...

 

[FloorCandy]

I'd take the zipped egg out and take a look. If it is in slightly the wrong position it won't be able to push out. If it has unzipped it is ready to hatch so there shouldn't be any problem helping it the rest of the way.

I would candle the others (keeping in the same position they are sitting in in the incubator) and check for signs of life. A dead embryo sinks to the narrow end of the egg and leaves a watery gap between it and the bottom of the air cell with no veins visible. If they still look full and dark you should at least see them pushing against the membrane under the air cell, if not pipped internally.

Agreed, since it’s alive and moving I think you should help it in case it’s malpositioned. You can put damp paper towel in the incubator to help raise the humidity inside with wet surface area. Once you open it up to remove the egg.

 

[JaeG]

The flashlight on a cellphone is the best to use for quail eggs. It gives a very small beam which is perfect for those little eggs.

 

[Kholts]

I'd take the zipped egg out and take a look. If it is in slightly the wrong position it won't be able to push out. If it has unzipped it is ready to hatch so there shouldn't be any problem helping it the rest of the way.

I would candle the others (keeping in the same position they are sitting in in the incubator) and check for signs of life. A dead embryo sinks to the narrow end of the egg and leaves a watery gap between it and the bottom of the air cell with no veins visible. If they still look full and dark you should at least see them pushing against the membrane under the air cell, if not pipped internally.

I’m going to give the zipped egg another half hour & then I’ll check. Assuming I don’t notice any other external pips in the other eggs (which I haven’t).

I’ll try candeling again tonight & see if I can tell. Or I’ll just try & be patient & give the rest 1 more day for any late Hatcher’s before candeling.

 

[Kholts]

The humidity is currently sitting at 84%. This morning it was 76 but spiked after the 2 hatched.

I’m using the wet paper towel trick already

 

[Kholts]

Okay I helped it.... just gently pulled the top part of the shell loose & put it back. It immediately pushed loose of the shell but its struggling to get on its feet & is kinda doing donuts.

Pretty sure it’s a star gazer (wry neck).

 

[FloorCandy]

I am helping one currently who laid and looked like that for over a day in the incubator, it pipped in the wrong place and shrink wrapped. I thought for sure he was a goner, but today I put him in a small cardboard tube, like a badger in a hole and he got used to having his feet under him and he’s up and walking now, with a limp, but he eats and drinks by himself, until like an hour ago I was feeding him with a small straw.

give him some time to fluff and see if he works it out, he may just be tired.