Brooding quail

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DoubletakeFarm

DoubletakeFarm

Songster
8 Years
Feb 23, 2013
273
60
166
NE Ohio
I have 55 eggs in the bator (bobwhite) and I'm planning ahead for the brooder. If you guys could give me the basics and any tips it would be greatly appreciated. They'll be in a 18x28" plastic tote with rubber grip shelf liner, heat lamp, chick waterer with marbles in it. I'll switch to pine chips when they get a little older. I have 24% protein non-medicated chick starter (highest protein I could find). Anything I'm missing? Do you think I'll need two totes for that many chicks, assuming most of them hatch. Do I need to grind the feed or is it small enough?
 
The size of brooder you are talking about here will work at first. But assuming even half of them hatch, after one week, this may be too cramped for Bobwhites. Generally at about 2 weeks, they need approximately 1/4 square foot per bird. By the time they are 6 weeks, they need 1/2 to nearly 1 foot. Bobs are big, aggressive and can turn on each other when cramped. Not all the time, but be prepared with more room.

Start the brooder temp out at 97 degrees. Lower the temp by 5 degrees each week until they are 6 weeks old. If at any time they start to pick on each other, lower the temp by 2 or 3 degrees and work it down weekly from there. It also may be time to give them more room.

You will need to grind up the food for the first week or so. By week 2 or 3, they can eat the standard crumble. The 24% protein is just fine. Sprinkle the feed around on the floor around the feeder for the first few days so they know where the feed is kept. You might also dip their beaks in the water as you are putting them into the brooder from the bator.

Try to get an infra red or even plain red bulb for brooding Bobs. Especially the infra red. This light spectrum allows for a normal sleep pattern at night and Bobs get cranky when they don't sleep. White light is very excitable and can irritate them.

Good luck with your Bobs! :)
 
I bought 50 figuring some would come cracked and many wouldn't hatch. They sent me 55, none were broken and I'm in trouble if all of them hatch!

I figure I can move them out to their pen if I have to, with a heat lamp. Or move some out and keep some in the house. Hopefully it warms up here soon. It's been a cold spring. Is the 1 sq. ft per bird for adult bobs too? My pen is 8x4 ft so I can keep approximately 32 well-behaved bobs? I don't want that many, just trying to get a feel for it.

Thanks for the help!
 
No...Adult Bobs WILL kill each other with 1 square foot of space. Adult Bobs need at least 4 square feet per bird, more if you have it. They are large, hyper and aggressive and will go off on each other if too cramped. So in your 32 square foot space, you could keep about 15 Bobs that are less than one year old and about 8 adult Bobs in this space. Come next year, their first year of breeding, you will need to pair them off, one male to one female and they will need to be separated. Do not keep a lone female with a mated pair or she will get hurt. Bobs mate with one mate for life. After breeding season is over, from fall to spring, they will welcome being all mixed back together for the winter covey each year.
 
Wow, thank you. That's some valuable information. Looks like I'm going to have my hands full. I really don't want a lot of them anyhow. Just have to figure out what to do with the extras. Freezer camp I guess, if I can.
 

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