Day 18 Button Quail Incubation... Help!!!

[jennbusse]

We are first timers

I bought 15 assorted button quail eggs from ebay, out of which 14 were able to go into the incubator. Everything has gone by the book so far, exept for the one that opened and looked like a cooked egg. I assumed it was not fertile. We are on day 18 now and have 4 fantastic babies, (Andre, Porkchop, Thumper, Tiny), that were all born on day 16! We have had no more movement. Temp and Humidity has stayed stable no problems. I researched and everything says you can float test 24 hours overdue, I waited 2 days. I decided to float test today, (day 18), and the first one was rockin' and rollin'

so I decided to stop. At what point should I be worried? Should I float test the other 8 eggs? Did I hurt the one by the float test?

Now, I know it took the guy I got them from several days to get them. They had some cold weather and he said his buttons were not liking that. I don't know if that would have any bearing on this or not... They were all incubated at the same time.

Any help would be great!!! Kinda worried

Thanks.

 

[spikennipper]

Hiya, I have no experience with buttons just coturnix but usually when they start hatching they all tend to do so in unison, I don't think you harmed the egg by floating and you can try it on the others but it is not a reliable way of testing unless the chick is alive that is! I tried it on mine a couple of days ago as two of mine were late and they were bobbing around in the water so I assumed the chicks were alive, I then let them settle in the water but there was no more movement, cracked them open and they had both expired a day or so before, so it depends how long they were in the water for as they do tend to bob for a bit before settling giving the impression the chick is alive, however if the bobbing carries on and off like obvious movement then the chick may still be alive, were these shipped eggs? shipping is hard on eggs too, I like to hold the egg to my ear in a quiet room, hatching is inevitable if you can hear the chick breathing through the ruptured air sac or cheeping, if you can't hear anything then something may have gone wrong, you can give them another 24 hours especially if you think your temps may have been low? after this time I would be losing hope I'm afraid, good luck!

 

[jennbusse]

Thanks you for responding. I did a float test again. One sunk... one floated on it's side... no movement on any.

So I went ahead and started opening. All probably expired before lockdown except one. It had internally pipped but nothing else. So sad.

Well this was for a homeschool project and the kids got what they needed from the experience, but I have to say I have quickly fallen for our four little one's. This may become much more than a homeschool project!

I am gonna post pic's of the newest members to our family!!!

 

[ktbusse]

 

[GrandmaBird]

the buttons are addicting...you should have been warned...

 

[SavageChick]

So cute. I fell hard for my little buttons too.