Help please, curled toes on quail

[joesandy1822]

This is my first hatch, and I’m just a bit panicked. The quail chicks started hatching this morning, and the first chick is perfectly fine, but the second two seem to have curled toes. I’m assuming somehow my temp was too low in the incubator, although I do have a Govee in there that tells me it’s OK. I’m using a Nurture Right 360. I had to adjust it to match the Govee. I put them in lockdown Saturday, and they just started hatching this morning. Is there anything I can do for curled toes. I’ve seen splints that people make for chicken chicks, but quail are so tiny. Is there a chance they may straighten out on their own before I remove them from the incubator? Thanks for any help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How are they doing?
Did the toes happen to straighten out on their own?

If not, then you'll want to tape them. Uggh! Yes, Quail feet are SO tiny.
A bandaid may be sufficient to tape them in place. Try that. If not, then try paper medical tape.

If possible, I'd add vitamins/electrolytes to the water for a few days. You want one that does have B2 (Riboflavin) in it. I usually use Durvet Vitamins/Electrolytes that comes in a large package. Give the Quail fresh water for 1/2 a day and vitamins/electrolytes for the other 1/2.

 

[joesandy1822]

Thank you so much for your reply! As far as I can tell, they DID straighten out on their own. They’re jumping around so much, it’s hard to see individual toes at this point. If I find they’re still curled once I remove them from the incubator, I’ll tape them.

Being my first hatch, I’m a bit over anxious I guess. I’m still not totally sure when to remove the fluffy ones. They started hatching a little over 24 hours ago. All but 2 at the moment are dry. The 2 wet ones just hatched about an hour ago. I’ve read and watched so many videos by who I would consider “experts” that say different things. I CERTAINLY don’t want to shrink wrap any unhatched babies, but I don’t want to leave the dry ones in so long that they get weak. I’ve heard everything from “remove every 24 hours” to “wait until the end of the hatch”. I know they can supposedly stay in there up to three days. I’ve battled keeping my humidity above 60%, so I really don’t want to prematurely open the lid.

If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them. It sounds like you’ve done this more than once. Can I get those vitamins at a TSC?

Thanks so much!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad it seems the toes have corrected. Sometimes when they hatch out, they can look curled until they really get up and moving.
Oh my, they do bounce around and it's hard to see them in the incubator.
Not sure if the brooder is much better - they get the zoomies and pop and hop. Quail chicks just crack me up!

As for moving them, I try to move mine within 24 hours of hatch just to get them eating/drinking, but if you have some pipping and zipping, it's usually best to wait until those hatch, especially if you are having trouble controlling humidity.


Yes, usually you can find vitamins/electrolytes at TSC. Sometimes they have Durvet or Prairie Pride. I like these because they contain B2 and various other vitamins where Poultry Nutri-Drench does not.
For the large package, mix 1/4 teaspoon of the powder per gallon of water.

Tips? Quail chicks have a way of getting themselves in trouble and stuck, so be sure there's no places they can get hung up in a corner or something. My goodness, they are cute, but not very bright.

You probably have Quail water stations, but if they are a bit larger like chick waterers, do add some marbles or rocks to the base so they don't drown. They seem to want to dabble in water and they make a mess, so you may find it necessary to change the water several times a day.

Feed, even though it's crumbles, I find that grinding it up for the first 5-7 days they are able to eat it better.

I hope you have a successful hatch and all your babies thrive. Photos are always welcome.

 

[joesandy1822]

I'm glad it seems the toes have corrected. Sometimes when they hatch out, they can look curled until they really get up and moving.
Oh my, they do bounce around and it's hard to see them in the incubator.
Not sure if the brooder is much better - they get the zoomies and pop and hop. Quail chicks just crack me up!

As for moving them, I try to move mine within 24 hours of hatch just to get them eating/drinking, but if you have some pipping and zipping, it's usually best to wait until those hatch, especially if you are having trouble controlling humidity.


Yes, usually you can find vitamins/electrolytes at TSC. Sometimes they have Durvet or Prairie Pride. I like these because they contain B2 and various other vitamins where Poultry Nutri-Drench does not.
For the large package, mix 1/4 teaspoon of the powder per gallon of water.

Tips? Quail chicks have a way of getting themselves in trouble and stuck, so be sure there's no places they can get hung up in a corner or something. My goodness, they are cute, but not very bright.

You probably have Quail water stations, but if they are a bit larger like chick waterers, do add some marbles or rocks to the base so they don't drown. They seem to want to dabble in water and they make a mess, so you may find it necessary to change the water several times a day.

Feed, even though it's crumbles, I find that grinding it up for the first 5-7 days they are able to eat it better.

I hope you have a successful hatch and all your babies thrive. Photos are always welcome.



View attachment 3784139

Thank you so much! Out of 31 shipped eggs, so far I have 17 chicks. I moved all but one (not all the way dry) to the brooder late yesterday afternoon. This morning they seem to be doing very well.

I have a concern. One egg has pipped but is not zipping. I noticed it after I moved the babies to the brooder. It has made the hole a bit larger, but is not progressing further. It is still breathing. I honestly don’t know when it pipped…only when I noticed it. It is occasionally chirping. I’m praying it hatches. I really don’t want to hurt it by trying to help, although if it doesn’t get out, it surely will die.

I’m disappointed that there are still so many unhatched eggs. They are from a reliable breeder (MyShire). They were put in lockdown Saturday, started hatching Tuesday, and I see no pips on the remainder of the eggs, except for the one I previously mentioned. I guess I should be thankful, and I AM, for getting over 50%. But their shipped egg average right now is close to 70% last time I checked. It IS my first hatch, and I have a lot to learn…especially how to stabilize this incubator, AND how to stop stressing.

Thanks again for your help and kind words. I will just let things go for now, and maybe leave the incubator running for another couple days just to give any stragglers a chance. Have a great day!

Editing to say I ordered some vitamins/electrolytes, arriving today.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Congratulations on the babies!

Assisting a hatch can go both ways, sometimes very good, a chick just needs that extra help and they thrive, other times, something isn't quite right and they fail. It's worth a shot if you feel you need to assist. This article is very good and applies to all fowl (including Quail).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Hatching shipped eggs is a gamble, same as hatching your own. The breeder is reputable, but sometimes things don't work out. You can reach out to Zack and see what he says, he may send some replacements or help you do some troubleshooting for future hatches. I've never ordered from him but have used other breeders and 50-70% seems to be the going rate for me. It can be disappointing, and it would be nice to have a great hatch that you read about.

Hatching my own, I usually have around 70-90%. I don't candle Quail eggs, I can't see a thing, but some I've opened after the fact were clear (not fertile), so that can happen too.

@Kiki and @Nabiki are both very good at hatching. Even though I've hatched over 100 Quail in the last 2 years, I feel like a novice at it.

I think you're doing good. They made it this far (You too!). They will grow quickly, it's very interesting to see how they look from one day to the next.
I hope you enjoy them; they can be fun.

 

[joesandy1822]

Congratulations on the babies!

Assisting a hatch can go both ways, sometimes very good, a chick just needs that extra help and they thrive, other times, something isn't quite right and they fail. It's worth a shot if you feel you need to assist. This article is very good and applies to all fowl (including Quail).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Hatching shipped eggs is a gamble, same as hatching your own. The breeder is reputable, but sometimes things don't work out. You can reach out to Zack and see what he says, he may send some replacements or help you do some troubleshooting for future hatches. I've never ordered from him but have used other breeders and 50-70% seems to be the going rate for me. It can be disappointing, and it would be nice to have a great hatch that you read about.

Hatching my own, I usually have around 70-90%. I don't candle Quail eggs, I can't see a thing, but some I've opened after the fact were clear (not fertile), so that can happen too.

@Kiki and @Nabiki are both very good at hatching. Even though I've hatched over 100 Quail in the last 2 years, I feel like a novice at it.

I think you're doing good. They made it this far (You too!). They will grow quickly, it's very interesting to see how they look from one day to the next.
I hope you enjoy them; they can be fun.

I ended up assisting the chick out. It would have never hatched. It was completely shrink wrapped. The membrane was dry. There was no blood whatsoever. I doubt it will survive. Perhaps if I had intervened sooner, but it is so weak. The toes are completely curled, and it’s as if it’s having a hard time straightening out its legs also. I taped the toes a bit ago. I tried to give it a drop of water with vitamins and electrolytes, but I had no success. I guess it is what it is.

Thank you for all your help, and for your encouraging words. I appreciate them more than I can express.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I ended up assisting the chick out. It would have never hatched. It was completely shrink wrapped. The membrane was dry. There was no blood whatsoever. I doubt it will survive. Perhaps if I had intervened sooner, but it is so weak. The toes are completely curled, and it’s as if it’s having a hard time straightening out its legs also. I taped the toes a bit ago. I tried to give it a drop of water with vitamins and electrolytes, but I had no success. I guess it is what it is.

Thank you for all your help, and for your encouraging words. I appreciate them more than I can express.

I'm sorry about the chick.

I'd leave him in the bator for now and see if he comes around. Sometimes if you place them in tea or shallow coffee cup lined with a paper towel for cushioning and put the whole thing back in the bator they will work their legs pushing up, worth a try.

Sometimes when they just are not hatching, they fail, it's sad when that happens.

You're welcome!

 

[Nabiki]

Don't feel bad if your chick doesn't make it. Chicks that need assistance hatching usually have something wrong with them that prevents them from hatching normally.

I usually assist if a chick is having trouble after 24 hours pipped, but I do it knowing that the chick only has about a 20% chance of making it.