2 day old babies

[Michelle12345]

Hi guys
I am in New Zealand and have naturally hatched 4 baby japanese quail outdoors however tonight when we came home she had only two under her wings. The other two were lying about her and very nearly dead (approx. 12 degrees C outside).
So we took them all inside and have successfully warmed up the other two and put them in a box with a 40 watt light bulb and have the box at 26 deg C or 80? deg F.
They are drinking and pecking at their food.
Can anyone assist so they live over the next few weeks until their feathers come in?
Don't want to leave them out with their mother in fear of the rest being dead by morning.
cheers and thanks for any help

 

[ChickenCanoe]

This is just my guess but after you know they're well fed and hydrated, I'd try putting them under her at night. Give it an hour or so and check on them if they're not still under her, take them back inside.

 

[chooks4life]

This is just my guess but after you know they're well fed and hydrated, I'd try putting them under her at night. Give it an hour or so and check on them if they're not still under her, take them back inside.

X2. If she's a first time mother this may have simply been a mistake, not deliberate. But I would watch fairly closely to make sure you can intervene in time if for some reason she has decided to reject these two, though it'd be pretty random for a mother to reject two and keep two. Stranger things have happened I guess.

 

[dc3085]

I'd keep a very close eye on it if you are putting them back with her. Coturnix have had their instincts damaged by over a thousand years of human interference and there no way of telling if she understands her job correctly, until you've seen her complete it. Just keep a brooder set up and ready for them if she fails. If you don't have a brooder set up just do a search on brooder totes and you'll see threads about how to set up a quick easy one. I hope she gets the idea though, let us know how it turns out.

 

[Michelle12345]

Thanks everyone - there are 3 chicks out of the 4 remaining and they are doing really well. The mother died for some reason and the vet has no clue however I have posted about this as it is the 3rd loss in 3 weeks and I don't want the other to die.