Hands on hatching and help

[RubyNala97]

There have been no other external pips. My incubation practices obviously need some work :/
Many of these eggs are very difficult to candle so I am unsure how or if to move forward with any others.
Also she just pushed her way out. No remaining yolk or anything weird looking. She’s very tired, hopefully she’ll be on her feet in a little while.
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That’s great!! Just give her time to rest. She will gain her strength with time. What incubator are you using? I hatched quail eggs once and I remember them being harder to candle. Did you monitor the air cell growth throughout incubation? Were the eggs shipped or local?

 

[RosieR]

I’m using a diy incubator.
Some were picked up (1 hour drive) some were from my hens. This one that just hatched was from my stock.
I did not monitor air cells, but I think I will try next time with any eggs I can see through to candle.
Do you think there was a moisture problem in the egg for her to get stuck like that?

 

[RubyNala97]

I’m using a diy incubator.
Some were picked up (1 hour drive) some were from my hens. This one that just hatched was from my stock.
I did not monitor air cells, but I think I will try next time with any eggs I can see through to candle.
Do you think there was a moisture problem in the egg for her to get stuck like that?

This is the little quail guy I hatched for my neighbor a couple years ago. Get a small LED flashlight and use fresh batteries and turn all the lights off when you candle. Even if it’s really hard to see inside the egg you should see the outline of the air cell. And as long as you can see that much then you can tell how fast or slow they are growing. I don’t even use a hygrometer anymore. I just keep an eye on the aircells and adjust humidity according to growth. Sticky chicks can definitely be related to humidity issues. Is your little guy doing ok?

 

[RosieR]

This is the little quail guy I hatched for my neighbor a couple years ago. Get a small LED flashlight and use fresh batteries and turn all the lights off when you candle. Even if it’s really hard to see inside the egg you should see the outline of the air cell. And as long as you can see that much then you can tell how fast or slow they are growing. I don’t even use a hygrometer anymore. I just keep an eye on the aircells and adjust humidity according to growth. Sticky chicks can definitely be related to humidity issues. Is your little guy doing ok?

She was still wet when I left the house this afternoon. Still didn’t have her feet under her. And her eyes seem to be unable to open.
I’ll see how she’s held up when I get off work, and clean her up if needed. Hoping she pulls through!

 

[RosieR]

She was still wet when I left the house this afternoon. Still didn’t have her feet under her. And her eyes seem to be unable to open.
I’ll see how she’s held up when I get off work, and clean her up if needed. Hoping she pulls through!

I’ll keep an eye out for one of those led’s. I’m also planning a bator rebuild to hopefully correct issues.
I picked up one of those big plastic Coleman coolers today so I’ll switch over all my components and try with another clutch of eggs in a few weeks. I think I didn’t insulate the last one properly which caused the heat to turn on more than it should have which potentially dried the chicks in the shell. I may have also overdone it on ventilation holes. I read that too much air exchange can also make them sticky.
Also my turner motor should come in by then so less touching of eggs means less bacteria introduced.

 

[intheforest]

Need advice. My broody hen had a staggered hatch & left her remaining eggs. I'd been afraid and had been watching. 8am still on, 12:00 found cold eggs, put under diff sorta broody hen. 1:30 again cold and abandoned. One piped ex., 2 others chirping. I quickly set up a brooder box. Difficulty but keeping temp between 95-102. 6pm one successfully zipped one more ex pip. 9pm 3rd pip. 10am no change, no sounds or rocking anymore so I opened membrane a bit to check for life, played chirping too. Both breathing. One started peeping a bit but both seem weak. Put coconut oil on membrane. What do you suggest. Should I assist or give more time.

 

[intheforest]

Oh, they are blue splash silkies. 1st one is blue and seems healthy but might be weaker than he should have been at 1st but good now. The humidity is only 40%.

 

[Pyxis]

Do you think you can get that up any higher? Add some dishes of water, etc? So you have two eggs you're assisting? How long has been since external pip for each of them?

 

[intheforest]

Do you think you can get that up any higher? Add some dishes of water, etc? So you have two eggs you're assisting? How long has been since external pip for each of them?

Do you think you can get that up any higher? Add some dishes of water, etc? So you have two eggs you're assisting? How long has been since external pip for each of them?

About 6pm and 9pm and now a 3rd pip about noon today-it is hard to notice so may have been there longer. I'll add water dishes. The first one is chirping some. Not much going on with the others all day. None of them rocking. I cracked a little more open on chirpy, but noticed blood so stopped.

 

[Pyxis]

About 6pm and 9pm and now a 3rd pip about noon today-it is hard to notice so may have been there longer. I'll add water dishes. The first one is chirping some. Not much going on with the others all day. None of them rocking. I cracked a little more open on chirpy, but noticed blood so stopped.

They can take up to 24 hours from the time they pip until they are ready to hatch, so I would not do any assisting until it has been that long.