Should you help a quail chick to hatch?

[BelovedBirds]

At what point do you intervene with a struggling hatcher? How do you know when the chick is ready to leave it's shell? Help too soon, it could be fatal, help too late, it could be fatal. If necessary, how should you help it to hatch? What speed, what method?
Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[Skipper7410]

Personally we generally don't assist. There are some people here though with some good advice on what to do though if you do.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

The stickies here at the top of the forum contain threads covering this very topic.

You'll find lively debate about it. I'm a hands-on hatcher, so I assist when I deem it necessary. This assisted hatching guide is an excellent reference.

 

[BelovedBirds]

The stickies here at the top of the forum contain threads covering this very topic.

You'll find lively debate about it. I'm a hands-on hatcher, so I assist when I deem it necessary. This assisted hatching guide is an excellent reference.

Awesome! Thanks, I'll check it out
I'm hoping I won't need to, just want to be prepared, as I don't want to lose any chicks if it can be noticed and prevented!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Personally we generally don't assist. There are some people here though with some good advice on what to do though if you do.

Yeah, I'm hoping I won't ever need to, just would be good to have some knowledge on how, incase the worst happens with any

 

[Skipper7410]

Yeah, I'm hoping I won't ever need to, just would be good to have some knowledge on how, incase the worst happens with any

Always good to be prepared for sure! Good luck!

 

[FlarryEyeGrey]

I generally will assist a struggling chick but I'm not sure I'd ever do it for quail. The margin of error on an egg/chick that tiny is SO small! I'd be willing to put a safety hole in the air cell — anything more than that I'd worry would be much more likely to do harm than good.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I generally will assist a struggling chick but I'm not sure I'd ever do it for quail. The margin of error on an egg/chick that tiny is SO small! I'd be willing to put a safety hole in the air cell — anything more than that I'd worry would be much more likely to do harm than good.

That is true! That's my main concern about it. I'm more comfortable with a safety hole than a full assisted hatch. Hopefully neither will be necessary but its good to be prepared, even though it's a last resort

 

[RoosterML]

If it has piped for over 24 hours with no advancements had started to zip and has not progressed in 12-24 hours. Membrane starting to dry with no change in zip. Once you start assisting and you start to get blood stop it’s to soon.
hope that helps