Quail pipping at wrong end...

[quiltnchik]

I just noticed that one of my Coturnix eggs is pipped, but it's at the wrong end, actually a ways above the wrong end, but not quite in the middle...hope that makes sense...

Will the baby be okay? After hatching only 1 out of 5 chicken eggs, I'm a bit nervous and just need some reassurance

 

[shelleyd2008]

That depends, sometimes they hatch just fine like that, other times they don't. You would just have to wait and see. Give it some time to see what it does. Can you tell if it has an air hole?

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
It looks like it has an air hole. I only noticed the pip because there was a piece of egg shell on the floor of the 'bator, which led me to start searching with the flashlight (looking through the 'bator window). I'm hoping it does have air - it will have a better chance that way, right?

I don't know why it would be pipping at the wrong end. I haven't turned those eggs since Friday

 

[shelleyd2008]

They just do that sometimes, I don't know why. If it has an air hole, it should be fine. They can take a few days after pipping before they hatch, so don't freak out if it's not out in an hour

Try peeping at the bator and see if you can hear it, if you can then it is getting air. If not, you might need to cut a small slit in the membrane so it can breathe.

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
Won't opening the 'bator only make things worse? I don't want to have the humidity go bonkers and end up killing the chicks. Why, oh why do we put ourselves through this?!?

 

[shelleyd2008]

If there are no other pips it won't harm them. You will need to open it if they don't all hatch around the same time anyway, quail need to have food and water by 24 hours after hatching. I have seen many chicken hens leave the nest with pipped eggs, and all the eggs still hatched, so I don't think opening it for a quick sec to pull that egg out will bother anything. You can always have a piece of warm wet paper towel to drop in, that will bring the humidity up quickly.

 

[JJMR794]

I Have Had A Few Coturnix And Even A Couple Bob Whites Do This, Persoanlly If It Hasnt Zipped Around The Egg After 12-16 Hrs I Crack The Eggs And Let 'em Out. I Have Had Some Develope In Akward Possitions And When They Are Like That They Seem To Be Able To Pip But Not Turn And Zip The Shell, They Get Stuck, Once Pipped The Inner Membrane Will Dry Out And Shrink, In Effect Squeezing Or Suffocating The Chick Who's Hung Up And Cant Hatch.