1st-time quail girl, chicks are coming tomorrow - I need tips!

[@~rosecityfarmgirl~@]

It was a spontaneous decision, but I'm getting 4 day-old Giant Pharaoh Coturnix tomorrow. I have experience with chickens, but I'm worried about these seemingly-delicate quail babies. I've got most of the supplies, but here's what I need to know:

Can the chicks live on clean pine shavings? (the horse-pellet-sawdust type), or coconut husk? I use it with my rats, and it makes cleanup a breeze. Kitty litter scoop and done.

I have plenty of Purina chicken grower, but no turkey feed, and the feed store is quite far from where I live. Will they be able to eat this, and can/should I supplement this food with fresh fruit, veggies, or ground dry cat food?

This is for a little further down the road, but... just how loud ARE males? As loud as a roo?

Any tips that you guys can offer about raising these chicks would be most helpful and appreciated

I'll be sure to post pics here and on my urban agriculture site, www.rosecityfarms.com

Thanks!

 

[Little_Bigfoot]

i raised my chicks on white pine shavings and they did fine i believe it is cedar shavings that cause breathing problems later on,
i believe as far as feed goes you need an un medicated wild game bird starter with a high protien around the 30 percent range,
but i am not sure on your chicken starter.
as far as the cat food suppliment goes i asked the same question and found that it actually does more harm than good to quail because of the high salt levels, it causes liver failure later in life so stay away from that.
and if you are using the same feeders and water dishes you used for your chickens i would bleach them clean,
but for the most part at four days old they will already be pretty hardy little guys and just entering thier ugly stage i believe mine started to prickle out at day three.
good luck

 

[@~rosecityfarmgirl~@]

Thank you so much! I'll be keeping them separate from the hens, and their feeders etc, until they're pretty well full grown. Then, I'll see how they do in the yard with the big girls. How do larger quail do in the winter? We're building a new, insulated (up to house code!) coop this summer, and they'll have heat lamps and plenty of bedding.

 

[jackson41]

I think you should take the time to read the sticky at the top of the page before the quail arrive.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
+1, no need to start a QUAIL WAR....

 

[jespere]

Quote:
+1, no need to start a QUAIL WAR....

+2, It is VERY informative!!

 

[millebantam]

Quote:
+1, no need to start a QUAIL WAR....

Bill...............Shhhhhhhhhhhh! I've been jonesin' heavy for a quail fight. Seems like it's been awful quiet on the quail threads lately. Probably a good time for me to start a bunch of threads discussing my 3lb Egyptian White Butler A&M's.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Has been kinda dull round here of late.... I have been think'in bout keepin my quail with the chickens, and just feed'in them all whole corn and cat food....Whatcha think bout that?

Lets kick that dog for a while....

Bill

 

[@~rosecityfarmgirl~@]

LOL, oh, you guys

You quailers (proper term?) are a lot of fun! The sticky was a lot of help, too, thank you

 

[Robo]

Quote:
What is there to say??