So, it's Day 18..

[adubsroit]

...and only three quail have hatched. These eggs hatching are from a set of 17, which was originally was 42. On the plus side 8 have externally pipped but 6 aren't doing anything (no internal pipping yet). According to the float test and what I could see from candling they should be totally viable. I have read that it is very common, though not commonly mentioned, that quail usually take 18 days to hatch. With ducks and chickens I tend not to worry too much if there is no internal pipping, figure they'll do it when they're ready.

Of the three I am noticing a lot of curled toes, is this common? The first quail that came out had curled toes and what looks to be splayed legs, and was set on folded up paper towel, which I switched out with some fabric cutting from a pair of NEVER WORN long underwear. The texture seems to be much better for their little legs, and the newly hatched tuxedo curls up to the folds.


My real question then is when should I be worried?? One jumbo hatched on day 17, yesterday, and the new jumbo and tuxedo were today on day 18. How long is to long for eggs to go before one should just call it quits?

 

[Stellar]

What is your humidity at?

Curled toes is a sign of high humidity.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

Um your at day 17 and you notice all this. Do you have a walk in incubator or something? How often have you opened it to do all this candling. Jmo but you might be messing with those eggs a little too much.

 

[adubsroit]

Candling was done previous to lock-down, and I have only opened the incubator to clean out the paper towel to replace it with something less "slick." Other than this I have only cracked it open to remove the egg shells so the babies can lay out and start drying off. With the fabric to cover the bottom the quails feet seem to be straightening out, they're all laying down on their feet now. Right now you can clearly hear the eggs that are pipping, it's like they are talking to the three outside.

The incubator is a Brinsea 20 Eco with the auto-turn, so with a good flashlight and craning your neck you can see the external pips.

Humidity is at about 80. It has been really rainy/wet outside, could ambient humidity be playing a part? Also, just remember this, last night after showering I noticed that the incubator was close to 100.5 degrees. This is weird because my boyfriend and I had it around 99-99.5. Could this have played a part?

 

[tuesdays chicks]

The heat will be ok.just let them hatch now. I had 1 that pipped but had curled toes and seemed too large for the egg put its beak out and never got it back in to zip, watch for this I waited too long to help that 1,because it was my 1st hatch and it was the 1st to pip. I didn't know how long it took them,

 

[Stellar]

80% humidity? That's a bit high. Contrary to others, I keep my humidity at 50-60% tops, 65-70% is ok. Too much humidity drowns the embryos. Just my honest opinion.

 

[adubsroit]

Quote:
Took the humidity down to about 70%. Working with how opened a vent is to determine the relative humidity.

Little guys seems to be doing okay. One more jumbo just hatched and after looking through to see what else is going on I see that another eggs is almost entirely zipped open. 7 actively hatching eggs now, with 6 other standing idly by.

 

[JJMR794]

1 Tiny Word Of Caution With Yoiur Eco 20--- It Being A Forced Air Incubator With A Very Small Space Inside Watch For Chicks That Dawdle- Pip And Get Lazy, Or Slow To Zip- With The Small Space And Forced Air They May Get Shrink Wrapped If They Dawdle Too Long. If They Are Dragging The Thier Lil Fuzzy Butts About Getting Out Of The Shell You May Wish To Cover The Eggs To Limit The Air Movement Over Them- This Will Buy Them A Lil More Time

 

[Rozzie]

Their little toes may look a bit curled for the first hour or two anyway. Remember, they've been all mushed up in the shell. There feet have not been on a flat surface during development. It might take a couple of hours for their feet to look normal as they put weight on them and flatten them out. I wouldn't be worried about such things right after they hatch.

Or, at least this is my (rather limited) experience. (Most of my chicks have been natural brooded over the years until recently so I usually did not SEE them during the first hours. With my quail I'm incubating, of course, though I had a couple of successful broody hatches this summer with button quail.

 

[adubsroit]

Quote:
Oh dear.. That is sorta disheartening - especially when you're told how great the forced air incubators are. I will be sure to get on that stat.