fibrowne Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Hi - gosh - finally 3 little quail hatched in my Brinsea Octagon 20 and I am in love. However, I noticed this morning another one making an entry and we are 10 hours on and I can still only see a little beak - I wonder if the more experienced people here would tell me would they just leave it to hatch or help it out? It is chirping and at times quite active then I think oh gawd it's died and look again through the top (haven't lifted the lid) and then it sort of makes a movement. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 It is difficult I said I wouldn't and did. There is a post here on the subject that may help you. http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=87433 Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrowne Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 Thank you - beak is still very clearly visible and it's cheaping away. Has made itself a large hole..........suppose I will decide in next couple of hours - what a dilema!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Whats the humidity like? Quails do dry out if they take time to hatch. I'd be tempted to whip the lid off and add a little water or close the vent a bit and see if humidity rises (the vent must always be at least a third open though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrowne Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 I added more water to the little troughs and it has raised to 57% from 51%. I can still see it poking it's beak through and chirping - do you think I should do something? I put on little drops of water on the shell to soften it several hours ago. What a dilema! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Did it hatch. I'd help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrowne Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 No, it is still just poking it's beak through.........this is now 24 hours! How would you do it???? thanks for replying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrowne Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 Ok, I've done it and chick is in the incubator. I think the membrane was too tough for it. It is cheaping...........I feel like a midwife. Thank you everyone. Guess next time I will keep humidity higher, it has regularly been 42% then I increased it on day 13, but it hovered around 52%. Thankyou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirstie Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Well done, that is the most stressful part of hatching! It's the worst thing trying to decide whether to help or not and at what point! Especially as everything you read says don't help! I've helped in the past and would help again, and luckily so far it's worked out for me x Good luck with your little one, I hope he/ she becomes one of your strongest birds xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrowne Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 Thank you - I so so so appreciate everyone's advice. My heart was in my mouth! Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Its a hard one deciding if you should help or not what you need to think about is if you do help and there is something wrong would you then beable to cull the chick as i found out last year i always said i wouldnt help them out the shell but i did and the poor little chick had half its stomach hanging out of a big hole so i then had to cull it which was the first thing i have ever killed but i couldnt leave leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrowne Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 Oh dear - what a minefield. Poor little chick just died - and - goodness, another one is hatching! It doesn't say this in the books!! Onwards and onwards! thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Oh no There must have been something not right with it perhaps that was why it was not able to get out of the egg unaided. At least you did the best that you could for it. The one DD's boyfriend helped and was fine from the start. But later in the hatch when I helped one I felt I had done the wrong thing as it did seem poorly but today 'Poorly' has gone outside with her/his 10 little bantam friends aged 7 weeks . Good luck with the others. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrowne Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Thank you all for your advice. We have one quail that has a very splayed leg, one leg is fine the other is at a right angle I suppose is the best way to describe it. It eats and drinks - any thoughts please? thanks so much for your other help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
