Baby Quail

[Stephanie Quave]

This is my first time incubating quail, and we have our first two babies. I currently have them in a small brooder inside the house under a heat lamp. How long until I can put them in the outside brooder without heat lamp? Mind you I live in south Texas were we have 90 degree days and 80 degree nights.

 

[casportpony]

This is my first time incubating quail, and we have our first two babies. I currently have them in a small brooder inside the house under a heat lamp. How long until I can put them in the outside brooder without heat lamp? Mind you I live in south Texas were we have 90 degree days and 80 degree nights.

Welcome to BYC! I don't know anything about qual, but @TwoCrows knows a lot, so hopefully she be able to help you.

 

[le_bwah]

I'm a quail newb myself, but I found my quail no longer needed their heat source (electric plate/"mama hen") at around two weeks old. This was INSIDE, where the temp was around 60-65 during night and 70-75 during the day, and they didn't have to deal with wind. For most situations, I'd say it depends on how comfortable they act when not close to the heat, and how quickly they feather out. If they'll have a place to get out of the sun and wind I can see them doing okay anytime after two weeks (just keep an eye on them at first).

 

[007Sean]

Howdy neighbor and welcome to BYC!

I live in South Texas, too! I wait until they are feathered out before I introduce them to the outside brooder.

 

[Danny C.]

Welcome Stephanie. I live in North Central Texas with bobwhites. New this year as well, I have found that starting to feather at week to 10 days and at that point they go out in brooder pen I have in garage. 4 weeks molting and 5 weeks I am starting tomorrow to introduce to existing flock. 80-105 degrees in garage they don’t use heat lamps of course but do leave fan for circulation. Garage pen is 2ft high and at 20 days old, they are almost flying to the top. Surprising to me how fast they are growing.

 

[cosmosue]

I didn’t move my first batch outside until they were about 5 weeks old, but that was in spring around April in SC, still dipping into the 50’s way too cold. I would think now with it being nearly 100 in SC I can move babies outside a bit earlier but I’m not going to chance it until I’m sure they don’t want the heat because it can still get a slight chill in the air very late and we get storms.

That being said... I’m gonna need another larger brooder ha!