Help! Do I need to intervene!?

[BelovedBirds]

coturnix Quail chick on day 17, likely due on the 18th day, tomorrow.
I think she internally pipped 40 hours ago, on day 15, I think I heard a few faint chirps.
No external pips yet, no more rocking and not heard any chirps since last night ( I think)
This is my first hatch and I will intervene if I think she's stuck. She was the only egg growing well and went into lockdown alone. Is she running out of oxygen? Do I need to make a safety hole? I'm inxreasingly worried I have lost her.... Should I intervene?

 

[TundraFang]

There's no harm in making a safety hole if you're unsure.

Have you candled the egg to see if there is still movement?

X2

 

[my gang eats grass]

There's no harm in making a safety hole if you're unsure.

X2

 

[TundraFang]

yes, there's not much to see, she's pretty big, the light only shines through the air sac now, I couldnt see an internal pip though, which could mean I'm going mad, or?? Thing is I'm pretty sure I did hear some peeping.
I've decided to leave her be for now, and just hope for the best, tomorrow is day 18 so theres a good chance I'll see some signs

Keep us updated! Hopefully you'll get a fluffy little chick tomorrow!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Keep us updated! Hopefully you'll get a fluffy little chick tomorrow!

I'll let you know! I'm hoping I'll get some progress today

 

[BelovedBirds]

You're not going to hurt it if you make a safety hole. I'm sure you know this but stop if you see blood and apply pressure with a paper towel. Your only risk is shrink wrapping but it should be fine as long as you keep the humidity up. Good luck!

Sadly she didn't make it! She was rocking a fair bit, but then stopped. I candled again in a darker room and it was clear she was not fully developed, but still alive with veins. I saw her rocking again, and just decided to wait, and then it just stopped completely.
I candled again this morning expecting the worst and sadly she was still not big enough or in hatch position, and had passed away over night... Intervening wouldn't have helped since she was just not ready. I'm dissapointed, but I'll try again, maybe next time...!

 

[TundraFang]

Sadly she didn't make it! She was rocking a fair bit, but then stopped. I candled again in a darker room and it was clear she was not fully developed, but still alive with veins. I saw her rocking again, and just decided to wait, and then it just stopped completely.
I candled again this morning expecting the worst and sadly she was still not big enough or in hatch position, and had passed away over night... Intervening wouldn't have helped since she was just not ready. I'm dissapointed, but I'll try again, maybe next time...!

Oh no! I was really hoping she'd make it... I'm glad you're not quitting, let me know if you start a thread for your next eggs

 

[BelovedBirds]

Oh no! I was really hoping she'd make it... I'm glad you're not quitting, let me know if you start a thread for your next eggs

So everything is kind of confusing! I left the egg in the incubator for one more day, to check again to be safe before discarding. Upon a final candling, I saw the slightest movement, puzzled, I put it back in the incubator and within minutes the egg was rocking again. I felt positive about it, and decided to leave it again and let nature take it's course. Today, about days late, day 24, she still hasn't pipped, hasn't moved into hatching position and is still rocking. I can't tell if she is ready to hatch, I can't see any veins in the small gap between her and the air cell, but that gap worries me, she isn't how she shoild be. I'm now faced with a dilema of do I open the egg? If I wait any longer, and she can't move into hatch position, she could die. But if I intervene and the yolk is not absorbed, she could still die. I've never hatched eggs before, and I've never done an assist.
I worry theres something wrong with her, but if there's nothing wrong except slow growth, I'll kick myself if I don't help and she dies. What would you do??

 

[my gang eats grass]

Have you candled the egg to see if there is still movement?

 

[BelovedBirds]

Have you candled the egg to see if there is still movement?

yes, there's not much to see, she's pretty big, the light only shines through the air sac now, I couldnt see an internal pip though, which could mean I'm going mad, or?? Thing is I'm pretty sure I did hear some peeping.
I've decided to leave her be for now, and just hope for the best, tomorrow is day 18 so theres a good chance I'll see some signs