Chicks dying at a fast rate

[Surfinspaniard]

Hey all, I’m currently trying to raise Valley Quail. As of Friday night I successfully hatched 21 eggs out of 30. They all went into the brooder and was doing well until last night. By this morning I have lost six chicks. As you can imagine, my wife and I went into a frenzy in trying to figure out what went wrong. The temp stays around 95 degrees on the far end of the brooder but the chicks still want to pile on top of each other under the light. Before the last one died, I observed that he had white liquid poop. So then I jump on google and everything I read is telling me that all my chicks are doomed. They are eating Purina Gamebird Chow with 30% protein and water with Sav-A-Chick probiotics. Any ideas what I should do? Thank you.

 

[sylviethecochin]

White liquid poop just means he hasn't eaten much (or at all) and is just pooping water. Solid poop would be preferable, but liquid poop happens without being a symptom of disease.

If they're acting cold, I would personally begin by raising the heat. I'm unsure of the average body temperature of a quail but in chickens, it's 107.5℉—and when caring for sick chicken chicks, especially bantams, they often do require a temperature above the recommended 95℉.

@007Sean knows quail.

 

[Surfinspaniard]

Thank you for the info. I feel a lot better knowing that it might not be a catchy sickness. I’ll bump the heat up a little more.

 

[007Sean]

Are you using a white or red bulb on your heat lamp? If white, they will tend to bunch up.
White liquid poop, in general means they are too hot, do any have pasty butt? Are they gasping for breath? Are they stretching out when they die?
You may want to check the temperature at their level in the brooder, to be sure it's not too hot.
You may also want to give them some Nutri-Drench along with plain fresh water.

 

[Danny C.]

Hey all, I’m currently trying to raise Valley Quail. As of Friday night I successfully hatched 21 eggs out of 30. They all went into the brooder and was doing well until last night. By this morning I have lost six chicks. As you can imagine, my wife and I went into a frenzy in trying to figure out what went wrong. The temp stays around 95 degrees on the far end of the brooder but the chicks still want to pile on top of each other under the light. Before the last one died, I observed that he had white liquid poop. So then I jump on google and everything I read is telling me that all my chicks are doomed. They are eating Purina Gamebird Chow with 30% protein and water with Sav-A-Chick probiotics. Any ideas what I should do? Thank you.

Are you grinding up the gamebird chow to a powder? Needs to be real fine. Did not see in any of these post.

 

[Surfinspaniard]

I’m using a red bulb and non have shown signs of pasty butt. While in the process of dying, they looked like they were panting. Some seemed to be stretched out while some weren’t. I would think with how long the brooder is, they would just move away a little if they are too warm.

 

[Surfinspaniard]

Are you grinding up the gamebird chow to a powder? Needs to be real fine. Did not see in any of these post.

Yes the food is being ground up. The pellets were way too big. Now it’s about powder size.

 

[The Phantom]

I’m using a red bulb and non have shown signs of pasty butt. While in the process of dying, they looked like they were panting. Some seemed to be stretched out while some weren’t. I would think with how long the brooder is, they would just move away a little if they are too warm.

I had this EXAXT problem with my mountain quail last year.
They would be fine and eating for 2 days after hatch then pant and die a few hours later. I thought it was my set up so I left everything and put the hatch of bobwhites in a day later and lost none.

 

[AmyJane725]

Sorry you’re babies are dying. I don’t have any insight, but I just wanted to offer my condolences.

 

[Surfinspaniard]

I had this EXAXT problem with my mountain quail last year.
They would be fine and eating for 2 days after hatch then pant and die a few hours later. I thought it was my set up so I left everything and put the hatch of bobwhites in a day later and lost none.

Maybe it’s just the type of quail. They seem very fragile.