A molt at 3 weeks old?

[threeepeat]

Hello everyone, is it normal, or at least not uncommon, that 3 week old coturnix chicks suddenly start shedding some feathers? There are no bald patches or injuries. It just went from no feathers to a ton of feathers in various sizes from tiny to bigger ones like 2 inches long etc. I had read somewhere that molting was somewhat seasonal and usually when more mature, but I'm new to this. Thanks

 

[sourland]

Can you post pictures of the birds?

 

[threeepeat]

Can you post pictures of the birds?

Yep will do. Un momento

 

[threeepeat]

Yep will do. Un momento

 

[threeepeat]

I should clarify what I mean by "ton." Really it's not a ton, it's just that it went from no feathers in the brooder at all one moment to a whole bunch over a period of three days. I know they are from both colors of chicks.
The feathers started tiny and have gotten bigger. Different types, shapes, colors. The falb fee chicks have these cool black cross feathers originally tiny and now bigger, and at least one of the roux chicks is shedding bigger greyish looking ones. You can see see one sticking out from the bigger red chick in the photo.
The brooder was just cleaned before this pic so it doesn't show the feathers lying around in the pine shavings

 

[Nabiki]

Are you sure they're only 3 weeks old? They look fully feathered, including their heads, which would make them closer to 5 or 6 weeks old. 5 or 6 weeks it's not uncommon to see some feather replacement, but not at 3 weeks.

 

[threeepeat]

Are you sure they're only 3 weeks old? They look fully feathered, including their heads, which would make them closer to 5 or 6 weeks old. 5 or 6 weeks it's not uncommon to see some feather replacement, but not at 3 weeks.

Yep I'm 100% positive. They hatched on Dec. 19th. I should double check my date math, one sec. Yep they are exactly 3 weeks old today. Picture was taken today.

They are these chicks:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/identifying-quail-chicks.1558216/

 

[vall]

Shrug, well, I wouldn't be worried at all. Mine normally have their juvenile molt a little later too but you're in a different climate. How many hours of light are they getting?

 

[threeepeat]

Shrug, well, I wouldn't be worried at all. Mine normally have their juvenile molt a little later too but you're in a different climate. How many hours of light are they getting?

They're indoors so they are not getting a set amount but it is a lot. Plus they are under a red heat lamp now, and also spent some time under a white infrared lamp. (White one says infrared on it, while the red ones don't, but I'm assuming the red little giant heat lamps are also infrared), and I'm not even clear on how infrared helps the situation lol. Better sleep?

 

[Huntmaster]

I'm not even clear on how infrared helps the situation lol.

From everything I have seen about Infrared is it is supposed to penetrate deeper into the body. Thats why its recommended for sore muscles and many things like that. Using red is better for sleep than white of course.