Yikes! I have baby quails.

[silentrunning]

We went to church this morning and then out for Mother's day brunch with our kids and came home to 4 new babies in the incubator. It's only day 16! I just stopped turning them and upped the humidity yesterday. Is it OK to feed them chick starter or do I have to get something else. Should I keep the temperature at 99.5 in the brooder or should I lower it a couple of degrees? I am so not ready for these guys. I really didn't think I would get any to hatch because these are the first eggs from our new hen. Any advice would be great.

Doug

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

I do believe quail hatch at day 16-18.. I believe I had some late hatchers at day 19...

 

[monarc23]

For the first week i'd keep it as close to 99.5 as you can

Hatching on day 16 isnt too much of a suprise and congrats!!

 

[silentrunning]

Thanks. I still am in doubt as to what to feed them the first few days. Is ground up chick starter crumbles OK for them? I will give them a very shallow tray of lukewarm water shortly. I have attached a couple of pictures. I will have better ones, but I don't want to disturb the incubator for a while.

Doug

 

[Boyd]

See!!!!! He is using an LG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not alone!

 

[silentrunning]

Boyd, it worked perfectly and only took minutes to return to temperature after turning the eggs. I am very satisfied.

Doug

 

[shelleyd2008]

You should feed them something with higher protein, but chick starter is fine if that's all you've got. I feed mine flock raiser, which is a bit higher than chick starter (20% as opposed to 16%protein), but it should still be higher than that. They should have game bird starter, or you'll have to add some cat food or meal worms or something else to get the protein levels up.

One thing I have learned with mine is that it is much more cost efficient to wet the crumbles, rather than grinding them. If you have something to grind them with it might be all right. I tried in the blender, and tried by hand, neither way worked good enough. The chicks get in the feed and flip it all over looking for the little pieces. Wetting it causes it to break down into smaller pieces. Plus if it is moist when you give it to them they can't scatter it everywhere.

I keep a large bowl in the fridge with baby food in it. Even if it dries out in there, it is still in smaller pieces and they won't waste it. I do this until they go outside, then it is just too much of a pain to bother with.

 

[tumra]

If you want to increase the level of protein you feed the chicks try feeding them boiled egg, in particular the yolk bit. I use quail eggs that im not going to incubate to feed them. They will take a bit of time to eat it but in a few days they will be falling over each other to eat the boiled egg.

Also i feed the chicks ground chicken starter. Put them into a jar lid and they will climb in and eat as they require.

 

[cawooduck]

I fed mine ground up cat food for the first few days until i could locate gamebird starter.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Ballards has an excellent 30% gamebird starter. And a lot of it is pretty finely ground for quail. They also have a grower. Both are medicated.

I think the Purina at Stockyard, the Growth and Plumage for Gamebirds is 28% protein.

Congrats on your hatch. Your babies are adorable.