Please help me! ( not emergency but need advise )

the3quail

Songster
Oct 6, 2020
557
766
171
Gilbert, AZ
My Coop
My Coop
Hello.
So, we are on day 21 o incubation, quail eggs, coturnix.
No pips
didn't see any internal pips on day 18

Should I toss them or wait? They are all fertile
We opened one today to just find a dead chick.. very very bloody and didn't look that developed.. so wasn't growing fast enough.
I really want some cute chicks!
 
At day 21 they're 3-4 days overdue, so chances are they didn't make it :( You can give it another couple of days if you want to be sure.

Can you tell me about your incubation method? What temperature you were using, what humidity, if your incubator is still air or forced?
 
At day 21 they're 3-4 days overdue, so chances are they didn't make it :( You can give it another couple of days if you want to be sure.

Can you tell me about your incubation method? What temperature you were using, what humidity, if your incubator is still air or forced?
Yeah,. I candled yesterday all had movement except for the one I opened.
First 14 days temp was 35.7 humidity was at 30-40% day 14+ temp was 37.5, the humidity was at 65-75. Really bummed, throwing my leaking incubator away and buy a better one.
I feel bad throwing the eggs away though.. because of the little chicks in there who never hatched but are still alive...
 
They are done. Why wasn't the temp at 37.5 the first two weeks.
Two degrees low Celsius for two weeks is likely a death sentence.
They will develop at that low temperature but that is in the range of disproportionate development. That is where the temperature is too low for all organs to develop at the same rate. When too cool, some organs develop at different rates as others and the end result is a failure.
Normally the heart and head will be enlarged while development in the rest of the body will be delayed.
That is likely what you'll see when you do an eggtopsy.
3-4 days delayed in an 18day incubation also indicates the temperature was way too low.
That is assuming the thermometer was accurate.
 
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They are done. Why wasn't the temp at 37.5 the first two weeks.
Two degrees low Celsius for two weeks is likely a death sentence.
They will develop at that low temperature but that is in the range of disproportionate development. That is where the temperature is too low for all organs to develop at the same rate. When too cool, some organs develop at different rates as others and the end result is a failure.
Normally the heart and head will be enlarged while development in the rest of the body will be delayed.
That is likely what you'll see when you do an eggtopsy.
3-4 days delayed in an 18day incubation also indicates the temperature was way too low.
That is assuming the thermometer was accurate.
Im getting a better incubator this week. Should I open the eggs all up?
 
Im getting a better incubator this week. Should I open the eggs all up?
You don't have to open them all, you'll likely see the same in all of them. It is enlightening to open eggs though.
IMO, Incubation is the easiest thing you can do that is also so easy to screw up.
I think relying on instrumentation that isn't verified to be accurate is one of the biggest causes of failure.
Precise temperature at 99.5F/37.5 throughout incubation is the most important parameter. I think frequent turning is the next most important consideration.
 
You don't have to open them all, you'll likely see the same in all of them. It is enlightening to open eggs though.
IMO, Incubation is the easiest thing you can do that is also so easy to screw up.
I think relying on instrumentation that isn't verified to be accurate is one of the biggest causes of failure.
Precise temperature at 99.5F/37.5 throughout incubation is the most important parameter. I think frequent turning is the next most important consideration.
Opened all of them, All were developed but 2 that stopped growing it seems. They were all dead, except for one, but was missing a foot. tossed all. missing foot one died pretty soon after opened.
 
I once had a chick hatch with 3 legs. One normal, one a club foot and one growing from the vent.
Our vet school avian pathologist told me that if you hatch enough, you'll see all sorts of abnormalities. I guess that makes sense.
Sometimes it could be genetic but they also attribute an embryological development accident.
 
I once had a chick hatch with 3 legs. One normal, one a club foot and one growing from the vent.
Our vet school avian pathologist told me that if you hatch enough, you'll see all sorts of abnormalities. I guess that makes sense.
Sometimes it could be genetic but they also attribute an embryological development accident.
Did the chicken die?
 

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