Button Quail Caesarean

canucky2 · Post by **canucky2** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:13 pm

It's been a crazy couple of days! I have been incubating button quail eggs for friends and I found an egg pipped a day early. I waited for it to hatch, but nothing and nothing for 36 hours. I thought it had died but as I was looking at the other eggs the chipped egg started peeping! I freaked... oh my gosh, there is a baby in there! I called my dad and he coached me on how to help the baby out. It took me 2.5 hours and with only one small spot of blood, we sucessfully hatch the baby! I put him in the brooder overnight and he did well.

I woke up in the night to two more pipped eggs but no babies. I helped them out while another hatched itself. It was very stressful. The third baby lost a bit of blood and is a little weak, but is eating a drinking. I know there are different schools of thought on helping the birds out, but since they are just pets and not for breeding, I figured I wasn't promoting 'weak' genetics.

It was so amazing being able to help these tiny babies, who would have died for sure without help. The three that I helped were some how mal-positioned and unable to crack the shell in the normal manner. I wish I could post a picture of the babies but i am unsure how to do that.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:03 pm

Check out this link on how to post a picture by one of the member http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2813s

canucky2 · Post by **canucky2** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:26 pm

thanks

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:47 pm

Great pictures cute birds

good job you done good

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 5:10 am

great pics & a job well done, it certainly isn't easy helping birds out of the shell without hurting them. I used to do it when I had pheasants years ago, damn things laid eggs everywhere but would never sit

canucky2 · Post by **canucky2** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:05 am

the weak one survived the night, doing pretty well considering i didn't think it would make it out of the incubator. He has a little trouble walking and flips on his back every so often but getting better with practice.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:31 pm

they look great!

canucky2 · Post by **canucky2** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:27 pm

I don't think it's going well. I guess nature has a way. One died today, another looks very ill and one more now looks weak. The only one that looks good is the one that hatched itself. We shall see

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:43 pm

Sorry thought they were doing ok

williep · Post by **williep** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:43 am

Good job at assisting them to hatch, at least you gave them a chance.

It's not uncommon for quail to be assisted when hatching, my singing quail hatched 5 chicks but the fifth one was helped out of the shell by the father, he pecked at the shell until the little guy could free himself.

Good luck with the other ones hope they make it!

canucky2 · Post by **canucky2** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:29 am

The ones I helped out all have past now. I do have one lonely little one. He hatched himself.

williep · Post by **williep** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:38 am

Sorry to hear that canucky2, baby quail are the most adorable little things and it's always sad when we loose any of our birds.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:30 am

Aww very sorry to hear that. Hope the last little guy makes it.

Post by **Hilary** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:32 pm

Sorry to hear about losing the three. I really do believe that nature knows best sometimes, though I've helped quail hatch as well. Generally if they are flipping over something's wrong, though. Glad you have the one little one - enjoy him while he's still cute!

canucky2 · Post by **canucky2** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:49 pm

the last one is doing well. He is very lonely and very skiddish. The others i've raised have not been so scared, but maybe because he's so scared being alone.