Quail Chicks Not Getting Out???!!! Help

[shelleyd2008]

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I agree, I've never had any live that were helped either. If they can't get out on their own, there's a reason.

 

[Swamp Roo]

I had four that got "stuck", lost the first one before I knew what was happening, but the three I helped are doing fine. I should point out that I had stupidly let the humidity crash half way through the hatch, so I expect those chicks would have been fine under normal circumstances.

Swamp

 

[shelleyd2008]

If it were me, and the chick is moving inside the egg, I would just leave it. If you see it slowing down its movement, or if it starts to do stress peeping, then I would help. If you open the bator now, you jeopardize the rest of the eggs.

 

[Grey Bird Farm]

It's so hard isn't it? Your instinct is to help and 'save' them since you can.

You rationalize helping... "well it's been 24 hours,,, they're strong and have been working hard the whole time", "it's not their fault the ended up on the wrong end", etc. etc.

In the end, I'm not hearing a lot of positive stories about helped chicks ended up hearty and thriving.

Is this the last 'crack' at natural selection before life on the outside begins?

I figure a change in temp or humidity is fine but I wonder if a shell or membrane assists is bad? Does anybody have 'helped' quail that are the same as their non-helped quail? (in strength and hardiness)

I really do want to help the quail out so badly but at what cost?
Thoughts? Corrections? Insight?

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have one quail that was helped that is in my bathroom. It's legs are so severely spraddled that it can't walk. I even tried to tape the legs, three times in fact. Everytime I would take the tape off it's legs would slip again. This quail is half the size of the others it hatched with. It is also at least 3 months old. I have no idea if it is male or female, because it doesn't crow or lay eggs. I don't have the heart to cull it, so in the bathroom it stays for now. If I hadn't helped it, it wouldn't have hatched. Spraddle leg can be caused by hatching problems, but that's not the case here. The drastic size difference and lack of sexual maturity tells me it is something other than a hatching problem.

 

[Grey Bird Farm]

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I think this is my answer. Sometimes they aren't hatched for a reason

Sorry that you had to go through it all. I wouldn't be able to cull either.

 

[laputa]

I have two eggs like that in my first and only hatch so far, they are the the only two that piped. I helped one out, now it is over 6 weeks old and doing good; the other one I did not see its pip, and it died within the shell when I found it out.

If you want nothing but absolutely healthy chicks with no problem whatsoever, then don't help it. If you care for that little life and want it to survive no matter what (in my case I did) you help it out, but face some possibility it may have some problem from its birth. The one I helped out is very healthy, but he does have one eye blind, and becomes very easily scared of people for some reason. Other quails I have that are of similar age do not have the problem of being scared so easily and many can be petted.

If I am facing the same situation, it would still be a very tough call. But I would still go ahead help it out, just because I feel I have picked up the responsibility for that little life the moment I put it in the incubator.

But again I have thought about culling before I even raised quail, but now I know I can never do it. So everybody is different.

 

[farrier!]

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This has been ,my experiance but I have only helped 2.....

Glad you decided to post over here.... I keep learning a lot!!!

 

[Grey Bird Farm]

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I understand your view 100% Either I let nature cull the chick or I commit to take on a chick that may be less than the fittest.

Hopefully I don't have to make the choice! I have 1 pip where I smoothed water on the membrane but I didn't mess with the membrane itself. It seemed to be getting a bit dried out from the time. The other I haven't touched yet.

There are A LOT of things about natural selection/the nature process that are difficult for me to face. There are times to step in and times not to. I guess it's more of an individual choice based on different factors.

Of course I'd love it if they all blasted out healthy and robust!!! Wouldn't we all!

I'll post progess as it happens.
I appreciate eveyone's input so much!
What a great forum!

 

[Emilys3guppies]

This is a great thread.

I have a coturnix that pipped at the very beginning of day 16 and it's been 11 hours now with nothing...no progress from the initial tiny hole. I saw movement for a few hours but now there isn't...I wonder if baby is resting?

My temp is at 38.3 (still air) and my humidity is at 73%. I have 17 eggies going and saw 4 or 5 of them rock a bit last night, so I have loads of hope and excitement!