Daughter snuck buton quail eggs into bator, have chick now, need help!

[chicken_china_mom]

Ok, I posted this also in the Raising Chicks section, but someone suggested I come here for some advice, so here I am. The situation is that my daughter thought she would sneak two little button quail eggs into my bator with my Silkie eggs, and figured either I wouldn't notice, or I'd be ok with it once they were already in there. Well, I didn't notice them, at least, not where she had placed them. So today is when the Silkie eggs were due for lockdown. So as I'm removing them from the turner and placing them into the other bator, my younger DD catches sight of some movement in the bator, under the turner. So I lift up the turner and what do I find? The absolute tiniest chick in the world!!! One of the two little quail eggs hatched, and now I have this uber tiny chick, not even as big as my thumb, and not sure how to care for it. I already gave my daughter an earful for doing this, but I have this little life, and I want to make sure I can do everything possible to make sure it lives. Can anyone give me some advice on how to care for it? I don't want to brood it with the chicken chicks, it's too small, but can I place this baby's brooder inside the bigger brooder for a while so they can share the heat lamp? (No money at the moment for a second lamp) Do I crush the food? When can it have treats, and how fast does it grow? Any information that is offered would be so very much appreciated. Thank you!


By the way, I have experience with chickens, ducks, parrots, and adult button quail, but I've never had a chick THIS tiny before! This is the smallest thing I've ever seen!

 

[burquechick]

Oh dear. I can't help you but, oh dear...

 

[jenjscott]

Your best bet is game bird starter, but for now the highest protein feed available and if it is not powdery you will probably need to grind some up you can use a food processor or coffee mill. Put a shallow lid with water and pebbles in it, so it won't drown, and put the water at the end away from the light and it should do fine. I frequently put a smaller box in the big brooder when I have some extra small guys. Right now I have some bob whites like that. Just make sure it has enough room to get away from the heat lamp if it is too hot. It doesn't need treats, it will feather quickly and be flying out of its little box in a few weeks. It can also learn to drink from a small pet waterer, like a guinea pig waterer. I usually bed the brooder with paper towels, and just scatter the feed on top of that, They usually learn to eat very fast.

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Thank you, I'm setting up a small brooder box just for it right now, then gonna crush some chick starter as that's all I have right now. I'll let you all know how the baby does.

 

[underground chickenman]

Hors d'oeuvre, anyone?

UGCM

 

[missred871]

it's not as hard as you think it is and since you have only one it will bea easy for you to keep it in the house, once it is a little bit bigger you can move it into a 10 gallon aquarium. Dont freak out, I know how tiny they are I have 20 button eggs in the bator right now with 60 other courtnix eggs. Do NOT feed it chick feed especially if it is medicated. It can and probably will kill the chick. Try gamebird starter, if you cant find that get gamebird grower, all you have to do is go to Tractor Supply they have 5 lb bags. You can use a quart waterer with pebbles in it or at tractor supply purchase another bottom for the quart jar that is called a quail waterer. I would do as the other said and just put the food on the bottom. i dont use paper towels in the brooder after the first two weeks, I switch to pine shavings. If you need any help you are welcome to pm me.

 

[MidnightChickenLover]

0-0

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Thank you everyone for the help and advice, it's much appreciated. I got the little guy settled into his own brooder last night, even though he didn't want me to put him down, but he didn't make it to this morning. My older DD checked on him and found that he had passed away. It was fascinating to see a baby that tiny, and I feel better prepared for when, and IF I ever decide to breed quail. At this time, I don't wish to, but that could always change. That baby was the sweetest little thing too! I think I'll be amazed for awhile as to how tiny it was.

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

Just hatched Button Quail are Very heat sensitive. A bit too hot and they will die.. A bit too cold...Not good.
I'm sorry for your loss but you did everything you could under the circumstances.

David

 

[FenDruadin]

Sorry for the loss. We raise coturnix and they're a little bigger than buttons but still tiny when they hatch and I swear they are the absolute cutest living things on this green earth when they first hatch. Sadly, they get flighty and ugly when they grow up!

We once had one hatch about a day before its companions did. It was terribly lonely and would cry and cry until we reached in with a hand. It would start cooing immediately, cuddle up to the hand, and sleep. I ended up with it in a brooder beside my computer with one hand in and typing one-handed, lol!

The funniest thing was what happened when its companions hatched. It was absolutely TERRIFIED of them!! It ran to the opposite side of the brooder SCREAMING and flapping, and would scramble up our arms when we reached in. It was sure it was being attacked by ALIENS. Fortunately, it got over that after about a day and now I don't even remember which one it was--it's either busy laying eggs out there, fertilizing them, or it's already been dinner one night.

Anyway--good luck if you decide to do it again. I'm sorry that happened, but perhaps your daughter will think twice next time--tricking mom isn't always the best course of action!! Now, if only my three would learn that lesson, lol!