Button Quail chicks dying

[Haae]

I've just had a few button quail hatch in the last few days (only 6 so far) but some of them are dying off? I had one die overnight last night; he had a weird bubble on his neck and laid on his back all the time with his legs stuck out. I went to check them just a few minutes ago, and another one was dead! This one doesn't have any obvious kind of bubble or growth or anything, but liked to lay on his side as well. Now there's another one that's on its side, and seems to be having trouble. He looks like he's trying to cheep/call out but when he opens his beak, no sounds comes out. I pressed gently on his tummy, and it made kind of a crackling/bu noise? Kinda sounds like more bubbles? I stuck him back in the brooder for now, but does anyone know if there's anything I can do for him? Or is he a goner?

Just for more information, I had a lot of issues with this incubation. I had a really high temp spike about mid-way through that I don't know how long it lasted, for the first few days they weren't being turned, and I had a temp low really early on as well. Honestly, I'm kinda surprised anything hatched from this batch at all. I'm sure that the issues these guys are having are because of that, and I'll be making sure after this round that I regulate the temps better, but I'm just wondering if there's anything I can do for the chick now. The other three seem to be alright.

Also, when I pressed on his tummy, sometimes you would hear his cheep while I was pressing on him. But when I stopped, you couldn't hear it anymore. Dunno if that means anything.

I'm re-posting this from the emergencies/disease/injuries and cures forum.

edited by staff

 

[dc3085]

What temperature is your brooder at? Check it with two thermometers.

 

[GrandmaBird]

they also need food and water within an hour of hatching unlike most other poultry. And be sure there is an area in the brooder where they can move to if they get too hot.. They should be on some type of non slip flooring and the food should be sprinkled around so they can find it not just in a dish. the water should be in a very shallow dish with added marbles or other tiny rocks so the chicks cant get wet. If they get wet they will die rather quickly.
It sound like they are not going to be very strong chicks so they are better off not making it , sorry.

 

[Haae]

I'm pretty sure it was what I was keeping them in. I'd heard of a lot of people having success brooding them in plastic/rubbermaid tubs, but I think maybe mine was too old or had some other problem with it and was giving off fumes that was killing them. At first I thought it was just that the chicks were weak, and didn't think to move them. But after I saw that chicks that were previously fine (had their eyes open, were walking around/cheeping alright) were on their backs, unable to cheep, with their eyes closed, I figured it must've been the tub they were in. I've moved them to a cardboard box now, and those who haven't been in the plastic tub at all seem to be doing fine. All the ones that were in the plastic tub have since died.

They've had food and water since they've been in the brooder, the water dish is just a jar lid with some of those decorative glass pebbles in it, and the food is scattered over the ground, which is paper towels over a plastic bag (to protect the bottom of the box from getting wet). My temp is at around 95 degrees.

 

[farmtotable]

I'm guessing your temperature got too hot in the plastic tub. I had the same problem with a batch I incubated a few months ago. I was devastated, because it happened really quickly. They were all fine one minute, then when I checked on them about two hours later, they were all stretched out on their backs panting. I lost about 75% of them within the next hour. I had a thermometer in there, but it was an old one and it obviously wasn't working properly.

I changed the set up and I haven't had a problem since. Now I use a plastic tote tub that is screwed to the side of the brooder box (where they go when they get old enough). The heat lamp is adjustable, and I block off half of it with a piece of wood so they have a cooler spot to go if they need too. Haven't lost a chick since!

 

[Haae]

I dunno if that was the issue; the thermometers read the same temp for both set-ups (well, actually it read a little bit lower in the tub, since the tub is bigger than the box), and I'm using the same thermometers. Maybe that was it, though. I'm just glad that the chicks seem to be doing better in the box. (Also, even the ones that were removed from the tub and put into the box, later died in the box so...Iunno if it was really a temperature issue with the tub).

 

[GrandmaBird]

had the tub been used for anything else before the chicks? Sounds strange...but good luck with the survivors and enjoy the addiction!

 

[Haae]

I don't think it was used for anything that would've been toxic to them. About a year ago, we kept some pekin ducklings in it, but I did wash it out with hot water pretty well before I set it up to be a brooder. The chicks are still doing fine in the box so far (up to 6 again). I'll be keeping a really close eye on them, but they look good. Nothing like how the ones in the tub were acting. And yes, hatching these little guys is very fun, if stressful and worrisome at times. I'm surprised that all but 3 of the eggs I had in there hatched, considering all the problems. I'll definitely be enjoying these little guys. <3