orloffer's Coturnix Quail Project

[orloffer]

It went into the brooder!
One of the eggs in the incubator that zipped partway (about 1/3) has been stuck since the morning, and appears to be shrink wrapped. Should I moisten the membrane (I have shea butter) and try to help it out a little?
(Sorry for all the questions -- I am a novice at all this).

 

[Nabiki]

It went into the brooder!
One of the eggs in the incubator that zipped partway (about 1/3) has been stuck since the morning, and appears to be shrink wrapped. Should I moisten the membrane (I have shea butter) and try to help it out a little?
(Sorry for all the questions -- I am a novice at all this).

It sounds like it needs help. Try moistening the membrane, but make sure whatever you use is warm so you don't chill the chick. You might have to help it zip the rest of the way.

 

[orloffer]

It sounds like it needs help. Try moistening the membrane, but make sure whatever you use is warm so you don't chill the chick. You might have to help it zip the rest of the way.

I successfully assisted it! It seems to have some difficulties due to being in the egg for so long though. Its neck is twisted to its right, one of its wings sticks forward rather than back, and its toes are curled. Not sure if any of these will correct themselves. If they do not and it is clearly having a difficult time, this one might have to go to Snek, the ball python.

 

[Nabiki]

I successfully assisted it! It seems to have some difficulties due to being in the egg for so long though. Its neck is twisted to its right, one of its wings sticks forward rather than back, and its toes are curled. Not sure if any of these will correct themselves. If they do not and it is clearly having a difficult time, this one might have to go to Snek, the ball python.View attachment 2757705View attachment 2757706

It might straighten out in a day or so, but you're right, it might also have to go to Snek. Unfortunately, most of the chicks that need help hatching have problems. I'm glad you have a solution.

 

[orloffer]

Neither the assisted chick nor the unabsorbed-yolk-chick are doing well today. Both are back in the incubator, and it is unlikely either will survive. The assisted chick cannot walk properly and seems weak, and the yolk chick is limp and does not move. On the bright side, the other 14 are doing well. They are already jumping on top of the heat plate, and one even jumped all the way out of the brooder onto the floor (thankfully it wasn't hurt, and I added a taller barrier to the front of the brooder to prevent that from happening again). I am so excited to see what colors they end up being!

 

[orloffer]

Update:
-The unabsorbed-yolk-chick died yesterday, unfortunately, after prolonged gasping and limpness.
-The assisted chick went into the brooder yesterday, and while its feet aren't great, it seems to be able to get around well enough.
-One chick was found to have pasty butt today. I tried to solve it using warm, damp paper towels, but it was difficult and I did not do a very good job. Hopefully that chick will be okay; it seems like it will be an interesting color and I would like to see how it feathers out.
-A different chick was found dead under the heat plate for unknown reasons. We are down to 14 birds now.

 

[Nabiki]

I'm sorry for the losses. I hope the rest stay healthy!

 

[orloffer]

Today's update:
-The runt chick that needed assistance hatching has pretty severe pasty butt today. I tried a warm washcloth once, but it didn't help too much. Hopefully that chick will be okay, but its survival is still in question. It is half the size of all the others.
-Most of the other chicks are starting to have the very beginnings of wing feathers, which is very exciting. A lot of them are tuxedos (a few Tibetans and a few silvers, plus a few brown stripey ones), which is even more exciting!
-I turned off the incubator and cracked open the 10 eggs that did not hatch. I am happy to say that none of them had chicks inside. 9 were either infertile or never started developing, and 1 had just the very beginnings of an embryo, about 3 days old.
-I typically change their paper towel bedding twice a day. I could do it more often, given the amount of droppings they create, but it would use up too much paper. They will be switched to shavings shortly, though I am not excited about the mess they will make in their feeder and waterer. Perhaps I will introduce a nipple waterer and transition them to that.

 

[bhaugh]

Breeding for color only will not give you the numbers you will need for food. If your looking for eggs and meat, stick to the established colors. Pharoh, Italian and Tibetan have produced the best for me over the years. Although the other colors are pretty I've hatched very few in the hundreds of eggs I've hatched.

 

[FloorCandy]

Today's update:
-The runt chick that needed assistance hatching has pretty severe pasty butt today. I tried a warm washcloth once, but it didn't help too much. Hopefully that chick will be okay, but its survival is still in question. It is half the size of all the others.
-Most of the other chicks are starting to have the very beginnings of wing feathers, which is very exciting. A lot of them are tuxedos (a few Tibetans and a few silvers, plus a few brown stripey ones), which is even more exciting!
-I turned off the incubator and cracked open the 10 eggs that did not hatch. I am happy to say that none of them had chicks inside. 9 were either infertile or never started developing, and 1 had just the very beginnings of an embryo, about 3 days old.
-I typically change their paper towel bedding twice a day. I could do it more often, given the amount of droppings they create, but it would use up too much paper. They will be switched to shavings shortly, though I am not excited about the mess they will make in their feeder and waterer. Perhaps I will introduce a nipple waterer and transition them to that.

I’ve found that they can’t do the nipple waterers until 3 weeks, after that, they magically catch on right away. Younger chicks will drink it off the little nub if I press the nipple, but generally can’t get it to give them more. Occasionally a big one can get it at like 2 weeks, but the others don’t catch on by watching and try to crowd around every time that one goes near the waterer, and then try to steal the water as it comes out. Inside I started using little drinker cups that screw onto regular bottles, I Velcro the bottle to the side of the brooder, and I put the whole thing into a plastic bowl, like the black rectangle Chinese food containers. This helps by making a small no bedding zone with walls to help keep the chips out. Chips will get in, but at least it’s less, and it won’t leak into the bedding and wreck everything. I begin this method at about a week old, before that I use the parakeet waterers like nabiki has. I found the clear ones with a green drinker base fit perfectly in talenti brand ice cream or gelato lids, actually clicks in and makes a study base. The drinker can stand itself for the first few days, but as they get bigger you need to Velcro it.