Button Quail Baby<3

[Kimberly333]

I just hatched another set of baby Button quails, 2 of them, and another 31 on the way. Exactly when should they start eating or drinking on their own? My last button quail hatchling ate the first day, but I had to help her drink water by feeding her of my finger. She started drinking water on her own the third day. Please help if you can, thanks!!!

 

[dc3085]

They need to drink in the first 24 hours. My button chicks are in the in food and water minutes after going into the brooder. Take your finger and slowly peck the food/water over and over again until the chick gets curious and decides to check it out, the object is to act like your finger is mom. If that doesn't work you need to dip the tip of its beak in the water carefully until it decides to drink on its own.

 

[GrandmaBird]

Also for the first 2-3 days sprinkle the food over the floor both under and away for the heat source, slowly move the food just to the unheated or if you are using a light, lighted area so the chicks must leave the heat to eat and drink. the water should be on the cool side of the brooder at all times. The tapping trick works well and they should be eating and drinking within an hour or so of hatch and drying off. good luck

 

[Kimberly333]

Thank you! they started to eat and drink, but besides marbles in the little lid to prevent drowning, there another way to keep them from getting too wet, when they tip over, their little wings get wet and so do their lower bodies causing food to get stuck on their tiny feathers, which makes them less "feathery" and more like little sticks with their feathers attached and wet to them,

 

[dc3085]

Put more marbles. Now that they know about the water they will worm their little beaks between the marbles to get at it. They should be able to walk over the marbles without getting wet. I use the flattened marbles from the dollar store.