Two Jap Quail Eggies (due to hatch any day now)

[birdymama]

So I took around 6 eggs (with permission) from my mothers aivery where she has her new Japanese Quails. Of these two have made it to full development inside the eggs. Candled and observed movement and been rocking slightly for the past few days. No chirping though and no pipping. They have been sitting on top of my fish tank as it is correct temp, in a little strawberry punnet container decked out with a glass thermometer and some wet napkins which i change daily (have been rotating them by hand). They are still rocking away now and then but one is past it's due hatch date and one is due to hatch this friday. Have played quail hatching noises off my laptop to "excite" them suggested by my hubby, but still nothing by way of pipping, chirping or zipping? I've candled and air bubble is still intact and baby birds are both still alive. Can anyone clue me in as to what is going on this first baby is over 3 days late?

 

[bfrancis]

If there are truly viable hatches from the "incubator" you described...the temp probably is actually a cooler than you suspect and that will impact the "day 18" hatch. If the temp is correct, every time you've taken them out to candle or what ever, will lower the egg temp as well as the container that you have the eggs in. Candling coturnix is actually kind of hard because of the egg color...

I'm excited for you and excited every time someone new tries their hand at quail...but you can "love an egg to death" My advice, if the temps are correct, other than turning (slightly) leave them be and let nature do its thing. Don't give up though! If this experiment isn't successful, ask your Mom for some more eggs and try again!

Good luck and please keep the forum posted.

 

[birdymama]

Thankyou. First time hatch.

 

[The Critter Place]

I am not familiar with the container you described. Does it have fairly high sides?
Just so you know , these little stinkers can be very fast and jumpy. So if it doesn't keep that in mind.

I wish you the best of luck! If you can share pics, please do. We love them here!

 

[birdymama]

sorry for the late reply been incredibly since that first post. Looks like that constant candling may have been the issue. trying to upload the pics of my homemade inc. also pics of the chicks after i decided they were definitly dead and safe to open up. neither was moving during or after i openned them they also had begun to smell incredibly bad 3 days prior to opening. They had stopped moving and there was a hole in the larger ones shell and a large split up the side of the other. not sure if the larger chick broke the other ones shell or whether it split from internal pressure.

 

[birdymama]

A bit confused about whether humidity is a good idea, my sister did not provide any humidity, hers appear to be growing faster than mine this current hatch attempt. This time round i have only candled once every 4 days and keeping a very close watch on the temperature. Has anyone heard of humidity slowing growth? Changed to a more insulated ice-cream container container also as i have 16 eggs hatching this time. 5 of my current hatch attempt are on day 15 and all of are moving the tiniest bit here and there. not strong wobble vibrations like my first egg. 3 of these float in float test but these are the eggs with the larger air bubbles. Have stopped turning today and placed them all with the large end up like on a youtube hatch i watched a while ago.

 

[mochicken]

I would recommend either building a cooler incubator or possibly looking into the $20 "see em hatch" incubators on ebay. Either way they are cheap and the cheapo bators from ebay work just fine and you can set them on a counter top and watch the action