After the hatch...Bobwhites that is :)

[moeell1]

Ok so my bobwhites have not hatched yet, we aren't even in locked down till this weekend but I like to have all my information together

so i have gamebird starter food, do I need to crush it up? Do i need to show them how to eat? how about drink? Thanks for any information.............
Corinna

 

[seanengler]

Hey Corinna, I am by no means an expert but I have hatched a few clutches of quail eggs. I would definitely crush up the gamebird starter. I just put mine in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush it up. As far as the water goes, I use a 1 quarter waterer with marbles in it so they don't drown in it. Showing them how to eat may or may not be necessary, I've never had to show mine, but I do know of poeple who have had to show their chicks how to eat. Congrats on the quail! They're such beautiful birds and the bobwhites, which I have, make such beautiful calls. I leave a feeder and waterer on my back fence and I let the quail go(my house backs up to the national forest here) and they come and go as they please. I see them every day at the feeder and waterer. Congrats!

 

[JJMR794]

I Do Not Grind Food For Bobs. Kudo's To You For 1 Buying Gb Starter, 2 Doing Your Homework In Advance

1 Use Quail Water Fonts--- These Greatly Reduce Drowning And Quite Handy. They Can Be Used With Any Baby Bird As Well So After Your Quails Are Done With It You Can Use It For Any Speces.

2 Never Ever Set Your Heat Source Close To Your Water Font! Baby Quail Are Way More Cold Natured Than Most Other Speces So These Guys Will Be Lil Heat Seakers! Do Not Make Your Water Font A Heat Source As They Will Loiter Or Huddle Around It And Drown. Dont Worry About Drinking... They Will Instinctively Seek Water To Drink When Thirsty And Will Leave The Warm Side Of Your Brooder To Obtain A Drink And Immediately Return Back To The Warm Side (this Is The Behavior You Want

) Water, While A Necessary Evil Is Also The Greatest Danger To Baby Quail. If They Get Wet And Dont Drown In The Water Font They Will Likely Die Of Hypothermia Despite Your Heated Brooder.

3 Use A Shallow Dish For Food To Start With And A Nice Shiney Dime On Top Of The Crumbles Attracts Lil Fuzzy Curious Minds.... Helping Them Learn To Eat As They Peck At This Shiney And Wonderous New Object

Now About Placement Of The Food Dish.... Remember That Heat Seeking Behavior? Use It To Your Advantage! Place The Food Dish Under You Heat Light And They Will Instinctively Loiter In That Area, Also Helping To Increase Their Chances Of Learning To Eat.... As Well As Sprinkle Some Food Around On The Floor Of Your Brooder For The 1st Few Days And They Will Instictively Peck At It.

Basic Brooder Set Up=== Brooder Needs To Be Draft Free And Capable Of Retaining Baby Bumble Bee Sized Critters As Well As A High Wall And Lid. Most Quail Babies Are 4 Wheel Drive Animals And Quite Good At Going Whereever Their Whim Or Will Takes Them--- So A High Walled Brooder Is A Bonus. Since They Feather Out And Are Capable Of Limited Flight Quickly A Lid Is Also A Major Bonus. Flooring Needs To Be Non Slip For The 1st Week Until Their Hip And Hock Tendons Are Set Otherwise They Are Susceptible To Spraddle Leg. Red Lights In The Heat Source And Limited Light Environmet Helps Decrease Pecking And Agression.


That Should Be A Good Start!