Any issues w/using paper towels after lockdown?

[Kiki]

That's what we used in the past as well except this time they stuck to the eggs.

I checked and humidity 70% and temperature 100 degrees F. I have an independent calibrated thermometer & humidity gauge that verifies incubater readings.

Gambels supposed to be kept at 65% to 75% on lock down to hatching. If they don't make it it will be first ones we've lost.

They looked so healthy on candling on day 11 and were really moving around on day 18 lockdown.

For Gambles day 25 is the late date. We'll keep them until day 28 and carefully (just in case) do an autopsy.

We've actually been successful so far in saving chicks that gave out pipping after




Next batch we rescue we are going hold off on paper towels just in case. Something strange happened.

Once we hatched couple of abandoned dove eggs. The one that hatched first turned over the water in the incubator and saturated cloth we had. Turns out the cloth wasn't die fast and second egg absorbed the die. Hatched. Chick was color of cloth and died in 24 hours.

Agree the paper towels might have created an uneven humidity.

Thanks

I hatch quail all the time.
I meet my humidity close to 30% through and don't raise it until I see an external pip. I only raise it to about 50 and never higher.
I have many 100% perfect hatches.

You didn't mention the type so I assumed coturnix, sorry.

 

[Debbie292d]

Just Googled my question "Most paper towels are made with two harsh chemicals: chlorine and formaldehyde. The chlorine is commonly used to to make the paper towel white in color. The by-products of using Chlorine for bleaching are toxins such as dioxin and furans, which are known to be dangerous to the human body."

So per SwampPrincessChick we probably affected the humidity and poisoned the chick as the egg most likely absorbed the chlorine & formaldehyde.

This has been some self discovery. Won't use paper towels anymore and will now remove from wife's birds feeder trays.

But in the brooder we use paper towels for the first 2-3 days, then convert them to horse bedding pellets.

We use giant, extremely strong paper towels made by the paper mill in town. My son works there so gives us a case of their rejects every year. We've never lost a chick out of 100s we've hatched. Quail could be a little more sensitive to the PP towels though.

You could use bamboo paper towels as they are a non-toxic alternative to traditional paper towels and don't contain inks, colors, or odors.

 

[Birdadvocate]

But in the brooder we use paper towels for the first 2-3 days, then convert them to horse bedding pellets.

We use giant, extremely strong paper towels made by the paper mill in town. My son works there so gives us a case of their rejects every year. We've never lost a chick out of 100s we've hatched. Quail could be a little more sensitive to the PP towels though.

You could use bamboo paper towels as they are a non-toxic alternative to traditional paper towels and don't contain inks, colors, or odors.

Thanks

 

[Birdadvocate]

I hatch quail all the time.
I meet my humidity close to 30% through and don't raise it until I see an external pip. I only raise it to about 50 and never higher.
I have many 100% perfect hatches.

You didn't mention the type so I assumed coturnix, sorry.

Gamble Quail - hatch for Wildlife Rescue ... When hen abandons nest on our property they taught us (actually an urban legend in Phoenix called the "Quail Lady") how to release after a 5 week brooding period.

We built the release cages and everything to her specs...

We have around 144 Gambels that frequent the property. Just like to the coveys together.

Our problem is landscapers cut before they look.

 

[Debbie292d]

Gamble Quail - hatch for Wildlife Rescue ... When hen abandons nest on our property they taught us (actually an urban legend in Phoenix called the "Quail Lady") how to release after a 5 week brooding period.

We built the release cages and everything to her specs...

We have around 144 Gambels that frequent the property. Just like to the coveys together.

Our problem is landscapers cut before they look.

This was what I wanted to do with Bobwhites as our state was having a shortage of them a few years ago. Kiki didn't understand me and thought I was just hatching quail and throwing them in the woods lol.

When I went to research it again, they had stopped their quail program and started on ringneck pheasants, which I didn't want to do.

 

[Birdadvocate]

This was what I wanted to do with Bobwhites as our state was having a shortage of them a few years ago. Kiki didn't understand me and thought I was just hatching quail and throwing them in the woods lol.

When I went to research it again, they had stopped their quail program and started on ringneck pheasants, which I didn't want to do.

LOL the "Quail Lady" cautioned us that if you release in groups of 3 or less probability of survival is 1% but large groups it's good.

So what we do if we get a quail that abandons after laying 2 to 3 eggs we still hatch but but take to the Wildlife Center.

They group them by size and then release improving odds significantly.

Usually though we have 12 to 15 eggs and upto 19.

 

[Birdadvocate]

Just Googled my question "Most paper towels are made with two harsh chemicals: chlorine and formaldehyde. The chlorine is commonly used to to make the paper towel white in color. The by-products of using Chlorine for bleaching are toxins such as dioxin and furans, which are known to be dangerous to the human body."

So per SwampPrincessChick we probably affected the humidity and poisoned the chick as the egg most likely absorbed the chlorine & formaldehyde.

This has been some self discovery. Won't use paper towels anymore and will now remove from wife's birds feeder trays.

Update for ALL

On day 25 today the chick hatched.

We've been doing this for 30 years usually Gamble quails hatch on day 22 to day 23. He's (could be a she. I can't tell) the smallest We've seen in our lifetime.

Seems healthy & alert enough. We'll raise out few days make sure it's going to make it and unfortunately will have to take to Wildlife Rescue because single chicks will imprint reducing their survivability in the wild.

Wildlife Rescue will match up with group similar in size for release in about 5 weeks.

No issue in matching because this time of the year they are overwhelmed with chick's.

We won't release unless it's a whole clutch.

Thanks for ALL the advice and we'll incorporate ALL into our next incubation.

Still believe paper towels somehow interacted with the egg and might have resulted in a delayed hatching and possibly reason chick is smaller than what we've seen in past.

Luckily so far this has been a happy ending.

Attaching file of the chick...

Notice his "egg tooth". I've never seen one that small. Might been reason he had such hard time getting out.

Also, there was never an external pip. Just popped out. Assume he must have weakened the shell from inside. We had one other chick that did this one time.

Anything changes we will let ya'll know.

 

[Birdadvocate]

Update for ALL

On day 25 today the chick hatched.

We've been doing this for 30 years usually Gamble quails hatch on day 22 to day 23. He's (could be a she. I can't tell) the smallest We've seen in our lifetime.

Seems healthy & alert enough. We'll raise out few days make sure it's going to make it and unfortunately will have to take to Wildlife Rescue because single chicks will imprint reducing their survivability in the wild.

Wildlife Rescue will match up with group similar in size for release in about 5 weeks.

No issue in matching because this time of the year they are overwhelmed with chick's.

We won't release unless it's a whole clutch.

Thanks for ALL the advice and we'll incorporate ALL into our next incubation.

Still believe paper towels somehow interacted with the egg and might have resulted in a delayed hatching and possibly reason chick is smaller than what we've seen in past.

Luckily so far this has been a happy ending.

Attaching file of the chick...

Notice his "egg tooth". I've never seen one that small. Might been reason he had such hard time getting out.

Also, there was never an external pip. Just popped out. Assume he must have weakened the shell from inside. We had one other chick that did this one time.

Anything changes we will let ya'll know.

Oh well trouble in paradise.

He was doing fine in encubator yesterday his first day. Eating crumble and watermelon for moisture.

Had 2 dark green runny poops but from what I read on BYC that's not unusual for first 2 days. First time for us though. In past all quail chicks we hatched had normal poops first day.

This morning moved him to the brooder. Temperature was 95 degrees. He started chirping a lot so raised temperature to 99 degrees and he was happier.

He was eating watermelon, drinking & eating all day.

Had three more dark green runny poops. Otherwise ok and first 2 days not up yet.

Tonight as we were getting ready for bed noticed he was sick. We raised chickens and quail on the farm when I was young & know sick bird when see it.

When got him mobile just jerking his head from side to side and lost mobility,

Immediately moved his back to the encubator. Perked up a little but was still jerking head side to side & weak. If he's better in the morning probably take him to Wildlife Rescue few days early just in case.

Unfortunately guess is he won't survive the night. Was afraid this might happen. He was a late hatch and issues w/hatch.

Be first we ever lost of the abandoned back yard doves/quail eggs. Been lucky. 10% to 15% of all quail chicks die within the 1st 2 weeks after hatching.

Regardless if he doesn't pull through it's still hard. You carefully care for them for 3 weeks watching them grow in their shells then they don't make it.

I will say if he does die that it's more comforting than to lose him in the shell. When you lose them in the shell you always wonder what you did wrong

 

[Birdadvocate]

Oh well trouble in paradise.

He was doing fine in encubator yesterday his first day. Eating crumble and watermelon for moisture.

Had 2 dark green runny poops but from what I read on BYC that's not unusual for first 2 days. First time for us though. In past all quail chicks we hatched had normal poops first day.

This morning moved him to the brooder. Temperature was 95 degrees. He started chirping a lot so raised temperature to 99 degrees and he was happier.

He was eating watermelon, drinking & eating all day.

Had three more dark green runny poops. Otherwise ok and first 2 days not up yet.

Tonight as we were getting ready for bed noticed he was sick. We raised chickens and quail on the farm when I was young & know sick bird when see it.

When got him mobile just jerking his head from side to side and lost mobility,

Immediately moved his back to the encubator. Perked up a little but was still jerking head side to side & weak. If he's better in the morning probably take him to Wildlife Rescue few days early just in case.

Unfortunately guess is he won't survive the night. Was afraid this might happen. He was a late hatch and issues w/hatch.

Be first we ever lost of the abandoned back yard doves/quail eggs. Been lucky. 10% to 15% of all quail chicks die within the 1st 2 weeks after hatching.

Regardless if he doesn't pull through it's still hard. You carefully care for them for 3 weeks watching them grow in their shells then they don't make it.

I will say if he does die that it's more comforting than to lose him in the shell. When you lose them in the shell you always wonder what you did wrong

Final update...

Chick lived 6 days. It was a fighter. Always heard late hatch chick usually don't make it.

Strange it ate until it's death (liquid diet). Day 3 it got to 7 grams.

Day 5 lost it's gains.

This morning was struggling to live.

I stayed with it until it's death.

Buried him in spot mom had laid him and put gray stone over his grave.

First wild animal we ever lost.

You become attached

 

[Slothinc]

So sad and sorry to read about your little one not making it. It is so hard. This thread was very informative and I am concerned now because I have been using paper towels in my turners because they are sized for regular eggs and mine are all bantams. I wonder if this has been affecting my hatch rate, which has been horrible this year.