azsissy
Hatching
- May 22, 2016
- 2
- 0
- 7
So this is probably a rather strange post but I would appreciate any advice anyone could give. I live in northern Arizona and 3 weeks ago we found a single quail chick wobbling on my front porch. I left it alone for about an hour, long enough that it just laid down and quit cheeping. From there I figured it was abandoned. I took it inside and husband set up a Rubbermaid container with a heat lamp and what not for it. That whole night it would loudly chirp unless I was holding it. In the end husband spent the night warming socks up in the microwave and covering it with them as it snuggled against my chest. It still had the nail on it beak. I think it hatched that day. The next morning there were three more on my porch and they didn't seem to be doing too well. Unfortunately the dog got hold of one before we realized they were there. He didn't kill it, just picked it up in his mouth but it died later that day anyways. That night another died. Two survived. The first one and one of the ones from the next morning. I managed to keep them going for the last three weeks. They were plump and had just started flying for a few days. The first, a male, was very friendly though. He would literally walk up my body to snuggle in my neck. After they started flying (at about 2 weeks) I took them outside every morning and put them in the shrubbery in front of my house. Every evening they would start cheeping loudly, I'd go out and the male would come right to me, female following. Then I'd put them back in their warm box for the night. I did this for maybe a week. I noticed two days ago that they were farther in the desert in front of my yard than they usually ventured but figured they'd come back that evening. They didn't and that night and the next day and night we had a continuous strong windstorm. I couldn't hear them over it. Today the wind was really mild and I still haven't heard them. Just wondering if there is any chance they survived? Our property is full of quail and jackrabbits, not much else, but from what I understand another covey wouldn't have offered them shelter. Is that right? My plan was never to keep them as pets but I guess I got attached to the male. I never expected it to act like it did with me. Just wondering if there's any way 3 week old gamble quail can survive alone in the wild. Anyone?
