Need help: new member, new hatcher

[dgmc]

First,what is piping?
I have 10 valley quail eggs that Im hatching. They have been clicking for a day and a half. They all have a dent/crack neer the top. This showed up 24+ hours ago.
Should I be concerned? Is this to long? I can hear the chicks still going at it and chirping, but this seems like a long time to me.
Thanks.

[CharlieHorse]

First,what is piping?

You answered your question yourself...................

They all have a dent/crack neer the top.

Too Long?    That all depends.....for one thing, they must still be alive.  All depends on when they are due, etc.  But, no, it is not uncommon for them to "pip" 24hrs+ prior to hatching.  Keep temps and humidity levels as accurate as possible, and that's about all that you can do!


Good Luck!

[WHITNEYPLU]

I would give them a little longer to hatch on thier own. You can help by flaking a little of the shell of if you just cant stand it, but please give them time. The struggle of hatching thru an egg helps them become healthier birds. My experince is helping them out makes for weak chicks that become disease prone and a target for being pecked. I have given up on helping them and let them  either do it on their own or not at all. It sounds cruel but is better for the flock as a whole.  Also what is the humidty level in your hatcher/incubator?
Best of luck,
Dusty

[wildergamebirds]

Normally this is not a place to expect good, fast help.

  Good advice, yes.  But, most people here have a lot of birds to tend, or time consuming jobs/lives, or maybe all three.

  Usually on larger hatches (500-1500) I've seen a few "pimples" scattered among the eggs on top, more than 24 hrs. before hatching.  If every egg has had these, and they are not starting to cut a "ring" around the egg in the next few hrs. you might have cause to worry.  It will probably start within an hour, or so.  The fans on my incubators are so loud, I don't hear chirping until there is a lot of it going on, and usually after several have hatched completely.

  In the mean time, triple check the temperature, and especially the humidity.  Or maybe just add more humidity.  Don't add cool water to the pan.  Mist the eggs with warm water 105 degrees f.  is about right.  Do this without allowing heat, and humidity to escape.  Impossible, perhaps, but keep air exchange to an absolute minimum.  Do this in a closet, or small, warm, damp bathroom, if possible.  It would have been better to do this 2-4 days ago.  A small portable room humidifier place very near the incubator might be the easiest source, I prefer the warm mist type.

  Does your incubator match your egg number closely?  In other words, your not trying to hatch 10 eggs in a thosand egg incubator, right?  That would make increasing the humidity harder.

  Pipping  is the act of chipping away at the egg.  I, personally don't consider pipping to have started in earnest until I see at least a line 1/8" to 1/4" line chipped out on several eggs.  Technically, I'm sure most would say what you are seeing is pipping.  Occasionally, you'll have a few chicks in much more of a hurry than others, a few very slow ones.  It seems yours are on the same schedule.  

  I don't think you have reason to worry, yet, at least.  Just tear up some old sheets, and boil water

  Hope this helps.

Jack

[jk]

Don't get stressed out over it... just wait and let them hatch. 

[dgmc]

Hey, I just wanted to say that they are starting to break out, slowly now. There is now a constant tickinggoing on also. This situation was actually forced on me. I dont have an incubator. I had to resque the eggs and had to come up with a makeshift incubator with a fish heater and a small ice chest, so yes you can say the incubator was made for the egsact number of eggs
anyhow, they probably will hatch in the middle of the night.
Should I get them some grit?

[CharlieHorse]

Should I get them some grit?

A 28% gamebird starter crumble is all that you'll need. Be sure to keep the humidity up and don't keep opening the "incubator". Leave the newly hatched ones in there for a while, some leave them in there for a day or more before collecting them.

[CharlieHorse]

Normally this is not a place to expect good, fast help.

:: :: ::

[dgmc]

thanks...they did hatch in the night. Unfortunantly I had to put them strait into the brooder beings as how my Incubator tray is a tuperware container, with the lid on but air holes in it and an air tube. They seem happy and are scrambling all over.

[dgmc]

Well, good news. All 10 hatched and are healthy. Thanks guys.

[wildergamebirds]

Normally this is not a place to expect good, fast help.

:: :: ::

  That actually turned out to be a bit funny.   The reason for the comment was he seemed a little stressed, and maybe ready to peel them out of the shells.  I figured he might not get much of a response, until after suppertime.  I guess several folks were on at lunchtime.

  The funny part?  By the time I was through rambling, two of you had already posted.

  Besides, my next three words were "Good advise, yes"

  Besides, besides:  It has been so serene around here the last few days, you probably needed a blast of adrynaline !

[CharlieHorse]

Well, good news. All 10 hatched and are healthy. Thanks guys.

That's good, especially considering your makeshift incubator. You may want to patent that thing?    If you can, post a picture of it in the "build it yourself" section.

[dgmc]

well, Ive been trying this since I was 4 thanks to our labs who love the taste of egg. I normally get a batch ever 1-3 years. Im 17 now and this is my first success.
I need to save up for a real incubator now. I would post my "incubator" on here but its a real pain. Only a real last resort. It can spike to 106 or fall to 93 in 20 minutes and the ice chest has to be opened or closed etc....Im just glad they were so far along. Anyhow, couldnt have done it without the advice, thanks.
Dan

[dgmc]

well, just an update...I started with 14 eggs, four were unfertalized when I got them, all ten remaining eggs hatched. $ wuail died over time, and I released 5 females and 1 male onto ur property when they were full grown. They hung around for a week or so afterwards....but since its been hard to tell them apart. Anyhow, that was enjoyable, and thanks all for the good advice. I now have a litter of pups to deal with.

[Jake Levi]

Enjoy your pups Dan, more Labs ??