Coturnix Quail First Hatch! Do I need to intervene?

[Quispherer]

Hi there. I always wanted chickens but quail kind of got dropped into my lap and I'm a quail lady now and I went into it head first.

This little guy just hatched this morning! About 45 minutes ago really.

He was the third egg to pip, about 18 hours ago. Im so excited I feel like im going crazy. The real thing driving me crazy is the first egg to pip. Lil guy pipped 36 hours ago, but I think he may have externally pipped when everyone else was pipping internally. But 36 hours feels like a LONG time?

Its hard to see but this egg has about 3 or 4 very clear spots he's poked through the shell. He's not zipping around, he's making a line straight down, perpendicular to the usual quail zip.

Does this mean this one is likely malpositioned? Being new Im afraid that Im jumping to conclusions and want to intervene too early but it would be tragic if the first Lil guy couldn't make it out on his own and I could have helped him but didnt.

As a note Im totally cool being hands on, I've read the guide for assisting, I just also know how dangerous it is to go in too early.

Pip #2 was also about 18 hours ago and has not made progress but I'm not nearly as worried for that one. Its got a solid dent lol.

Thanks all, hope to learn a lot and read lots of everybody's posts

 

[Susan Skylark]

I’ve had coturnix go 60 hours pip to zip, just let 5hem do their thing! You’ll do more harm than good in most cases. If you do try and help and see blood, stop and wait longer, the chick isn’t ready. Have fun, quail are addicting!

 

[Nabiki]

If your chick has been pipped for more than 24 hours, it probably needs help. Be aware, however, and if a chick has problems hatching, it usually has problems for reasons and is not likely to make it.

It is your choice whether to assist or not.

 

[Quispherer]

I’ve had coturnix go 60 hours pip to zip, just let 5hem do their thing! You’ll do more harm than good in most cases. If you do try and help and see blood, stop and wait longer, the chick isn’t ready. Have fun, quail are addicting!

How cool that you responded I've been reading all your threads the past few days haha. I appreciate the advice, 60 hours sounds crazy to me I would be so anxious! Admittedly I'm already sooo addicted this is one of 4 sets of eggs I have going right now

If your chick has been pipped for more than 24 hours, it probably needs help. Be aware, however, and if a chick has problems hatching, it usually has problems for reasons and is not likely to make it.

It is your choice whether to assist or not.

Thanks a ton! I've read so much about them going from pip to zip in no time, it sure has given me a lot to think about. I may have had my incubator at a slightly lower temp the first week as I worked things out, and overall it wasn't a perfect incubation by any means haha.

Turns out he does need a little more time! But I'm happy I intervened, it had been over 48 hours so I chipped the shell away around the pip and it was so dry it appeared to have closed back up. I don't know if it can do that, but that's what it looked like to me, it was very yellow and hard underneath the pips. I tried to take just the driest part and saw little red veins still in the membrane so I stopped and dabbed on a little coconut oil and back in he goes.

Despite my efforts I feel like I took way too much shell but the bator is by my bedside so I can keep a close eye on him and moisturize as needed. Even with this much gone I can't really tell if his positioning is bad, but that feels a bit moot now. Its fascinating watching him absorb the yolk, the little chewing motions are adorable!

Pip #2 is still making great progress thank goodness my favorite is at least going nice and easy haha