Dropped an egg :( + Wierd staggered hatching question.

[Oob Child]

I feel terrible, I've done this before but not to this extent. I just dropped a developing quail egg.
I sealed it up with clear nail polish, but there's a dent in the aircell end of the egg. The membrane wasn't broken and there is no blood.
Before dropping it the baby was moving around and had healthy veining.

I am not sure what day it is on. It has filled up most of the egg but still looks more than a few days off. I rescued it as well as multiple other eggs from underneath one of my Coturnix quail who quit being broody. There are multiple other rescues eggs in the incubator as well as some that aren't rescued.

Here are some pictures of after I sealed it:

I'm going to put it in a small container with cling wrap over the top and some holes poked in it to protect the other eggs. I will check on it tomorrow to see if it is still alive, but I do believe it will need assisted hatching when it is ready to hatch.


Staggered hatching question:

I have 10 eggs in an incubator including the cracked one, but I am unsure of what days any of them are on because I rescued them from one of my birds who quit being broody. They are all on different stages. Do I just move each egg to a separate lockdown incubator when it pips internally? I know that 007Sean has had a chick get stuck in the rollers when he left them on, but should I still just leave them in the same incubator and not turn the rollers off at all or move the eggs or what? Please help!

 

[gimmie birdies]

Yours looks like it doesn't have too long to go. I say most of the time if it is cracked at setting it may only make it to day 10 before quitting, if it is cracked after day 10 it has a better chance. The above egg I set, but didn't notice the crack until days later, it made it to hatching and is living on a friend's farm.

I also hatched a duck egg that got a crack on day 8 and it hatched fine. I like nail polish because it is not hot.

 

[Oob Child]

Do I just wait for one of them to internally pip to put it into lockdown, and am I able to raise the humidity in the incubator without harming the other eggs?

 

[Oob Child]

Do I just wait for one of them to internally pip to put it into lockdown, and am I able to raise the humidity in the incubator without harming the other eggs?

I'm doing this. One of them has internally pipped now, another hatched just then. Still no news on the cracked one, the shell is really thick so all I can see is an aircell when candling.
The baby quail that hatched is named Peaches I put her back in the incubator to dry.

Edit: pics of Peaches now

 

[Oob Child]

There are now 3 internally pipped eggs and one baby! Still no news on the cracked one.

 

[The crazy Poultry hoarder]

I'm doing this. One of them has internally pipped now, another hatched just then. Still no news on the cracked one, the shell is really thick so all I can see is an aircell when candling.
The baby quail that hatched is named Peaches I put her back in the incubator to dry.View attachment 3718083View attachment 3718084

Edit: pics of Peaches nowView attachment 3718195View attachment 3718196View attachment 3718197

Yay

 

[Oob Child]

I just took a closer look at the pipped egg, and it didn't make it. It made a good looking pip, and then made a large hole around it. I left it overnight, but in the morning I didn't hear it peeping or tapping and the membrane had turned green around where it has popped. It looks like it was positioned wrong.
It was a cute little yellow baby

Edit: it's foot was over it's head

 

[Yardmom]

Sorry noone responded to the staggered hatch part of your question. I have never hatched quail, but with other species if you have a separate incubator to use during hatch (when staggered) is best. For chickens and longer intubations If you don't have another incubator lock down when the first egg internally pips. The last days of turning are not critical and most of the time the eggs have lost enough moisture to be ok. Not sure if that would work with quail and the shorter incubation.

 

[Oob Child]

I

Sorry noone responded to the staggered hatch part of your question. I have never hatched quail, but with other species if you have a separate incubator to use during hatch (when staggered) is best. For chickens and longer intubations If you don't have another incubator lock down when the first egg internally pips. The last days of turning are not critical and most of the time the eggs have lost enough moisture to be ok. Not sure if that would work with quail and the shorter incubation.

I separated my incubator in half so that half of it had turners and half didn't. They all have the same humidity and temperature. Thanks for the reply

 

[HeritageFan]

If you only have one ‘bator, that can work.
For any future situations with similar circumstances - for you, or anyone else who may find this thread in the future,
My advice would be:

- If you have a second ‘bator that you can set up with the higher humidity required for lockdown, get it calibrated and going ASAP

* make sure to add a non slip liner (like you would put under an area rug, or even a cut piece of a towel, when setting up your hatching bator *

Move any eggs that internally pip to the lockdown bator.
- mark the “top” “side” of all eggs (and add a date, on the air cell end, all w a pencil) as you move them to the lockdown incubator so you can more readily monitor them.
- don’t beat yourself up if one externally pips before you move it- just move it carefully and quickly. I (personally) would check to make sure the beak had perforated the membrane.
I make a small hole if the membrane is not perforated, as I move them, in the case that they had externally pipped before moving but only chipped the shell/ didn’t open a spot to breathe.

There is a lot of info here on assisted hatching / ask if you see a very white/ tough membrane. We can help w that as well.

This article is a great reference
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

- if you do not have another incubator.... and don’t know the hatch date(s)
- pull the auto turner as soon as you see the first internal pip (or visible “wobble”)

- you are going to have to assess where the eggs are “at”, based on movement + air cell size, to decide where you should set humidity based on the level of development for the majority of eggs.
- eggs that seem underdeveloped can be hand turned still. I recommend putting an X on one side, and a 0 on the other, so it is easier to keep track of-

You are going to need to check them more often due to the potential of age variations.
It’s OK to open the ‘bator for checks. Just try to be as (careful but) quick as possible!

This may help.
And, please. Don’t hesitate to ask for a bit of additional help