slow hatcher?

[jessigabby]

Wanted to try hatching some jumbo coturnix quail, so I have a homemade incubator with 14 eggs. Building a good one is apparently more complicated than i originally thought, and Ill definitely be getting a better one before trying again (actually should have one coming next week).
Anyway, had problems with humidity and keeping the temperature stable the whole time and thought Id killed any chances of hatching, but before I went to pull everything apart yesterday(day 22), I noticed I had one pipped! The little guy managed to crack a bigger hole sometime last night, but I haven't seen any progress since then. Hasnt made any noise but I can see him moving periodically, and keeps opening and closing his mouth. Has been doing this for about the last 13 hours. Is this normal and im just being impatient or is there something wrong?

 

[TwoCrows]

They can pip and sit like this for over 24 hours. So do not feel you need to bust him out! He is busy absorbing the last of the egg yolk and detaching from the inside of the egg. Intervening can kill him if he is not ready.

So just let him rest and do his thing and when he is ready, he will bust out by himself.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh, and welcome to BYC!

 

[jessigabby]

[I know they can take a while, just hard to tell how long is too long. Unfortunately, he never made it out the shell. :'(
I guess this means Ill just have to wait for attempt number two, eggs coming in the mail later this week.

Thanks for the reply and welcome though!

 

[TwoCrows]

I am sorry about the hatch. If they pipped and never made it out of the shell, could be not enough humidity at hatch and they stuck to the inside of the shell. Make sure your vents are wide open as well.