Removing quail from incubator

[Ercwyne]

This is my first time hatching quail, and so far have 4 babies in the incubator. Theyve been in there for around 20 hours and definitely dry. I'm worried about opening the incubator to take them out because ive heard about shrink wrapping and ive got other eggs that are pipped and some trying to zip. But im also worried about the hatched 4 getting to the brooder and getting food and water. I know with chickens they can handle staying in there for around 48 hours but quail are a lot smaller. Im not sure what to do. Should i risk removing them? Or wait a bit longer?

 

[Nabiki]

Get them out and into the brooder. You can get them out of the incubator in seconds, which will not be long enough to shrink wrap the rest of the quail. You can pour a bit of warm water into the bottom of the incubator (don't get any of the eggs wet!) if you're in a super dry environment and worried about the humidity.

I take my chicks out as soon as they're dry.

 

[Ercwyne]

Get them out and into the brooder. You can get them out of the incubator in seconds, which will not be long enough to shrink wrap the rest of the quail. You can pour a bit of warm water into the bottom of the incubator (don't get any of the eggs wet!) if you're in a super dry environment and worried about the humidity.

I take my chicks out as soon as they're dry.

Ive gone and yoinked them out and put a damp paper towel in so i think i had minimal humidity loss. One egg has been pipped for several hours now overnight so i hope its ok

 

[Nabiki]

It can take up to 24 hours from pip to zip. You shouldn't worry unless the pip is at the narrow end of the egg, or it becomes a hole with no zip progress. If that does happen, keep in mind before you assist that chicks that have trouble hatching usually have trouble hatching because there is something wrong with it.