Should I assist my hatch?

[Zaradalil]

This is my first hatch in an incubator. Our last one was not successful due to me checking in too much. Lesson learned. </3

Ok, first I am not sure if I should help because I know normally is not a good thing to do however considering circumstances I am not sure if I should try and aid my quail hatching.

I ordered these eggs, and they were pretty cold upon arrival much to my dismay.
I have a Backyard Farms incubator, and its temp is really stable at 35.9c, however I reduced it to 35 yesterday after reading it needs to be lower for hatching.

Humidity was stable at 55%-60% through the incubation, and was brought up to 70% for the final few days and lockdown (that was 5 days ago) ....

I had two chicks hatch 48 hours ago, one died within the hour, it was not able to absorb its yolk and had its umbilical cord attached still. The other is happy and healthy.

At the 48 hour mark I found I was unwilling to keep the alive chick in my incubator any more since the other eggs were still a ways off from hatching I did not want to risk their little life in the process.

The incubator I did not have to open all the way, and only had open a literal second at most.
Humidity went back up quickly and only dropped to 45% during this process. Temp dropped a little, but many eggs are already pipped.
Thing is they are JUST pipped, one egg is about 30% of the way through zipping, however has not made progress and is sitting wiggling and peeping, but I am not seeing progress. I have not seen any progress on this pip for the last 24 hours.

Should I assist it or just keep things closed? I don't mind trying to assist the hatch if it would be the best choice.

 

[Zaradalil]

Without any responses, I think the best thing I can do its try to assist. Wish me luck.

 

[chelseachook]

This is my first hatch in an incubator. Our last one was not successful due to me checking in too much. Lesson learned. </3

Ok, first I am not sure if I should help because I know normally is not a good thing to do however considering circumstances I am not sure if I should try and aid my quail hatching.

I ordered these eggs, and they were pretty cold upon arrival much to my dismay.
I have a Backyard Farms incubator, and its temp is really stable at 35.9c, however I reduced it to 35 yesterday after reading it needs to be lower for hatching.

Humidity was stable at 55%-60% through the incubation, and was brought up to 70% for the final few days and lockdown (that was 5 days ago) ....

I had two chicks hatch 48 hours ago, one died within the hour, it was not able to absorb its yolk and had its umbilical cord attached still. The other is happy and healthy.

At the 48 hour mark I found I was unwilling to keep the alive chick in my incubator any more since the other eggs were still a ways off from hatching I did not want to risk their little life in the process.

The incubator I did not have to open all the way, and only had open a literal second at most.
Humidity went back up quickly and only dropped to 45% during this process. Temp dropped a little, but many eggs are already pipped.
Thing is they are JUST pipped, one egg is about 30% of the way through zipping, however has not made progress and is sitting wiggling and peeping, but I am not seeing progress. I have not seen any progress on this pip for the last 24 hours.

Should I assist it or just keep things closed? I don't mind trying to assist the hatch if it would be the best choice.

Good luck! Remember to assist very slowly and gently - if you see full blood veins stop (this means it still needs time to absorb blood). I hope all goes well. This article may help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[junior67]

Without any responses, I think the best thing I can do its try to assist. Wish me luck.

how did it go? Zipping should only take a short time if they stop and don't start back up fairly quick then it may be that they are not able to turn to zip anymore. Fingers crossed it went well.

 

[Zaradalil]

how did it go? Zipping should only take a short time if they stop and don't start back up fairly quick then it may be that they are not able to turn to zip anymore. Fingers crossed it went well.

I think I have saved 2 *thats one more than I had hoped to be able to help.
They are starting to walk/stumble around in the incubator <3 I am glad I helped when I did.
I've got three partially open and still with a few little veins and yoke that needs to be absorbed the rest of the way, but they all seem to have curled toes

I imagine because they were shipped and the eggs were cold prior to arrival or perhaps because there was an issue along the way?
I am not really sure things were so stinking steady!
I found out at least what was wrong, around the pips the edges were dry and sticking to the feathers. the chicks were unable to turn. I don't know why with everything reading 65% humidity.. Thoughts on this to prevent it going forwards? It was not a whole shrinkwrap or even close to but the edges only were dry the size of a pinhead attached to feathers. I soaked it off in warm water and got them all cleanup for the incubator, getting fluffy!

I plan on splinting them in the morning. <3 crossing my fingers, the two I only had to help hatch they did most of the work.

The other three seem a little weak the their pip was only just, but never continued.
I have my humidity up really high A whopping 90% since they are exposed so they don't dry out, but i'll be up every hour or so this evening to make sure all goes well <3 They just need more time to soak up that yoke! <3 I am hopeful <3 Gonna be a long night

 

[Zaradalil]

Good luck! Remember to assist very slowly and gently - if you see full blood veins stop (this means it still needs time to absorb blood). I hope all goes well. This article may help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

I have 3 that I stopped on and am waiting.. Thank you I did read that before I started and watched a ton of videos! The membranes were trying to dry out, so I bumped the humidity up to 85-90%(since they can breathe outside of the egg no longer through the shell.

I have them seperate from the rest of the chicks in a separate incubator. I just didn't want them to dry out while exposed. LMK if you have any further advice for these three. I dont have high hopes for one, it seems weak.. but there are veins, and all I can see is a little beak and some veins, so I am happy to wait.

 

[junior67]

I think I have saved 2 *thats one more than I had hoped to be able to help.
They are starting to walk/stumble around in the incubator <3 I am glad I helped when I did.
I've got three partially open and still with a few little veins and yoke that needs to be absorbed the rest of the way, but they all seem to have curled toes

I imagine because they were shipped and the eggs were cold prior to arrival or perhaps because there was an issue along the way?
I am not really sure things were so stinking steady!
I found out at least what was wrong, around the pips the edges were dry and sticking to the feathers. the chicks were unable to turn. I don't know why with everything reading 65% humidity.. Thoughts on this to prevent it going forwards? It was not a whole shrinkwrap or even close to but the edges only were dry the size of a pinhead attached to feathers. I soaked it off in warm water and got them all cleanup for the incubator, getting fluffy!

I plan on splinting them in the morning. <3 crossing my fingers, the two I only had to help hatch they did most of the work.

The other three seem a little weak the their pip was only just, but never continued.
I have my humidity up really high A whopping 90% since they are exposed so they don't dry out, but i'll be up every hour or so this evening to make sure all goes well <3 They just need more time to soak up that yoke! <3 I am hopeful <3 Gonna be a long night

do you have a calibrated hygrometer in your incubator? if not the humidity reading on your incubator may be off......

The feet may straighten out by morning sometimes they are curled when they first come out but as they walk on them they seem to fix themselves. Glad you got a couple more hatched!!!!!!!

 

[chelseachook]

I think I have saved 2 *thats one more than I had hoped to be able to help.
They are starting to walk/stumble around in the incubator <3 I am glad I helped when I did.
I've got three partially open and still with a few little veins and yoke that needs to be absorbed the rest of the way, but they all seem to have curled toes

I imagine because they were shipped and the eggs were cold prior to arrival or perhaps because there was an issue along the way?
I am not really sure things were so stinking steady!
I plan on splinting them in the morning. <3 crossing my fingers, the two I only had to help hatch they did most of the work.

The other three seem a little weak the their pip was only just, but never continued.
I have my humidity up really high A whopping 90% since they are exposed so they don't dry out, but i'll be up every hour or so this evening to make sure all goes well <3 They just need more time to soak up that yoke! <3 I am hopeful <3 Gonna be a long niT

I have 3 that I stopped on and am waiting.. Thank you I did read that before I started and watched a ton of videos! The membranes were trying to dry out, so I bumped the humidity up to 85-90%(since they can breathe outside of the egg no longer through the shell.

I have them seperate from the rest of the chicks in a separate incubator. I just didn't want them to dry out while exposed. LMK if you have any further advice for these three. I dont have high hopes for one, it seems weak.. but there are veins, and all I can see is a little beak and some veins, so I am happy to wait.

Sounds like you are all over it! Give them time and if you are worried you can assist once the veins don't have blood. Hope everything goes well

 

[CrazyChickenLadySue]

I hope everything went okay, I would help when you did also.I had one that pipped and even though moisture was 80% the membrane started to dry, I think as it was exposed for over 24 hours, I applied a very small amount of coconut oil to the membrane to keep it moist and helped it along but only a tiny amount, she was cheeping. She hatched well in the end but was a very large chick for such a small shell so I don't think she would have made it on her own. She is fine now though, still in the incubator, going to move her to the brooder tonight with her hatch mates.
In my opinion you did the right thing, just hope nature is kind and she thrives.
Congratulations and good luck