Coturnix eggs chicks stuck in shell

[TheArsenal]

ok so today is day 18 of my quail eggs incubating. I put 54 eggs in 18 hatched, 4 are still in there shell with bigger blood veins so I guess I need to wait? How long you think? They tried to pip so I made a hole in all 4 eggs and put a damp paper towel on them and left a hole for them to breath.


Also I have 3 chicks that are still in there it's taking forever for them to dry I guess I'm gonna have to wait lol.

 

[Invision]

Well I can give you some advice two ways:

1. let them take the course, strong chicks hatch weak ones die. Plain as that. Weak chicks are bad genes so it's good to wean them out at the start (harsh I know but no one helps wild birds hatch).

2. Get yourself a sewing pin with a flat head on it, and break the shell away from the piped hole, NOT the membrane. just chip away at it. Should eventually peel enough away that the chick can get out

 

[TheArsenal]

I already broke the white stuff not the veins just white stuff right under the shell.

 

[Invision]

Yeah, that's what you don't want to do.. Long as there is not a lot of blood you're alright. How they doing now?

 

[TheArsenal]

I can't see very much blood just a little. One hatched out and is in the brooder. there's three more one looks a little dry so I'm gonna put another damp paper towel over it

There all alive and moving

 

[Invision]

Well if you only have a few and want to save them, at this point you probably need to start helping. They will get tired and give up.

 

[TheArsenal]

Even if there's blood still? Just take a little bit of shell at a time?

 

[Invision]

Just the shell, not the membrane.

 

[TheArsenal]

Ok there all out 1 is walking fine it seems. The others are on there side not walking to I guess 1 is fine and 2 are messed up :/

 

[Invision]

If they have curled toes, look up post on that here, easy ways to fix it but you have to do it now rather than later.