California Valley Quail - Humidity, feed & enclosure to hatch & raise

[Darkestcon]

Quail Power

We live in Central Oregon Redmond. So not too moist around here being high desert and all. Generally speaking you dont want to open the incubator. Its kind of a rule.

That being said I hear there are many people who do just fine opening etc. I cant say if there were negative affects to doing this such as physical issues, high rate of birds not hatching etc. However keep in mind that when you open the incubator its still going to take time to build up to proper humidity. All i can do is relay info on the "rules" of hatching. Follow or not thats up to you. many people dont. I can say out of all the birds i hatched I had 1 bird with curled toes out of 140 or so chicks. and he was born a day and a half late (at that point its fairly expected.

 

[Darkestcon]

looks great QRandle

 

[QRandle]

Thanks! She is walking around fine. I worry about over-handling them. But that’s the trade-off. She hatched Friday and the first hatched Monday so we expected some issues.

 

[quail power]

Thanks! She is walking around fine. I worry about over-handling them.

QRandle, I still have so much to learn - Why do you worry about over-handling them?

 

[QRandle]

I just thought it was better not to fiddle with them. But maybe this isn't an issue. When you hand water them you have to hold them.

 

[QRandle]

looks great QRandle

The chick we lost yesterday we were treating for splay leg. The one with the taped toes seems to be lethargic this evening. struggling. I suppose it's not surprising that chicks born with these issues eventually do not make it. Can they be over handled? Overstimulated? She was off in a corner alone and i moved her to the nesting corner and other chicks came up to her and got her to stand up.

 

[Darkestcon]

The chick we lost yesterday we were treating for splay leg. The one with the taped toes seems to be lethargic this evening. struggling. I suppose it's not surprising that chicks born with these issues eventually do not make it. Can they be over handled? Overstimulated? She was off in a corner alone and i moved her to the nesting corner and other chicks came up to her and got her to stand up.

yes you can overhandle birds. When people handle them they get stressed and as young and fragile as they are this can lead to death. That doesnt mean this is what has happened. it could just be they are too weak overall and just wont make it. This can happen.

 

[Midtex45]

QRandle

Some chicks just arent going to make it. Just not meant to. Many things can play roles. Not a bad hatch in my opinion as im not a fan of those incubators. I find temps to be off, humidity off, and the lengths you have to go to up humidity and get it stable etc.

I hatched 100+ birds this last week, lost 1 in the brooder due to a magically broken leg, 3 more were lost in the full brood system we have as they got lethargic and just gave up on life for whatever reason. and i have 1 runt who is still not fluffy 1 week later and does not appear to be growing. I am most likely going to cull him. All those and i have a 1000 dollar incubator/hatcher and a 300 dollar dedicated brooder. Loss of birds does happen. Id be happy that you had such a good turnout all things considered.

as for those curled feet id jump on that ASAP the longer you wait the harder it becomes to fix if not impossible.

How do you fix culex feet?