Dead chicks

[Micket]

Sadly the last chick has past away this morning
I can only assume it was temperature related or since all the chicks were from same hen a biological defect
Since the weather is on a downward trend will wait until spring before attempting to raise another. Clutch.
I all a learning curve raising chicks with success's and disappoints i thank everyone for their help and guidance in this case

 

[Nabiki]

Might I suggest a bin to avoid drafts and a ceramic heat bulb instead of the brooder plate for next time? Keep a thermometer on the floor under the heat lamp so you know what the temperature is in that spot.

 

[MamaBirds_Quail]

So sorry about your chickies! I was warned quail chicks really *seek out* ways to die despite our best efforts, be gentle with yourself.

If you’re looking for ideas for spring, I had good luck using a Rubbermaid bin with a reptile heat mat under it (I used one for a 20g tank for 23 chicks on a standard 16x20ish bin) for the first few weeks… week 1 I just use a puppy pad for substrate so there’s no chance of litter piling up/blocking the heat. Having the heat come from underneath them seemed to really help since they’re so tiny, and the solid sides prevent even ceiling fan drafts from chilling them.

I also used really little water/food dishes (a water tube for finches, and a peanut butter jar top) for the first week and put them just past where the heat pad stops so the chicks are less likely to wander off the heat by accident. — it’s more mess and refilling, but the frequent check ins helped me keep up with how they were all doing.

Fingers crossed things go better in the spring!

 

[Micket]

The last couple of comments are the reason I like this site ,hints and tips for future attempts

 

[Nabiki]

So sorry about your chickies! I was warned quail chicks really *seek out* ways to die despite our best efforts, be gentle with yourself.

If you’re looking for ideas for spring, I had good luck using a Rubbermaid bin with a reptile heat mat under it (I used one for a 20g tank for 23 chicks on a standard 16x20ish bin) for the first few weeks… week 1 I just use a puppy pad for substrate so there’s no chance of litter piling up/blocking the heat. Having the heat come from underneath them seemed to really help since they’re so tiny, and the solid sides prevent even ceiling fan drafts from chilling them.

I also used really little water/food dishes (a water tube for finches, and a peanut butter jar top) for the first week and put them just past where the heat pad stops so the chicks are less likely to wander off the heat by accident. — it’s more mess and refilling, but the frequent check ins helped me keep up with how they were all doing.

Fingers crossed things go better in the spring!

Be careful of the heat mats. I saw some pictures of poor chicks with black and missing toes from those. I wouldn't recommend them.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Personally wouldn't wait until spring, not much need. Quail are mightily hardy and once they're off the heat will be perfectly fine during winter but that's up to you obviously.

I hatch a LOT of quail and in fairness we usually lose a few chicks in the first 1-5 days, mainly because they are pretty dumb. I've had greater success since using brooder plates and my chicks seem far happier, I am a strong advocate for them. However, you need to learn to adjust them properly. Make sure your drinker is 100% safe too, little stones in your water will save a lot of hassle.

The chicks should just touch the plate with the tops of their backs, any lower can cause them to overheat and any more can mean they don't get enough of the heat. I put the back down pretty low, just lower than their backs and the front to the height of the tallest one's back. Works great for me, adjust every 5-7 days and all good

The other thing I find that helps is really limiting their space the first few days, they can go under the heat or eat/drink, not much space to walk around. They are constantly falling asleep in the wrong places and then the worst happens. Once the first wing tips are coming through they seem to smarten up a bit. Also make sure nothing is touching the edge of your brooder.. they will squeeze themselves into EVERY small hole, crevice, EVERYTHING! Love them by they can be so silly lol.

Sorry about your experience.. I've had some hatches like that too. Hope the next hatch goes better

 

[ButtonNomies]

I'm so sorry babe, this really sucks ...

Personally I wouldn't use a cage set up as u cannot regulate the ambient temperature enough to keep ur bubs from feeling a draft ...

My brooder set-up is an exoterra viv set on its side, a reptile heat pad with adjustable thermostat, Uv lighting, fake grass and a thermometer to keep an eye on the ambient temp.

Being used as a little hospital atm for 2 of my 4 week old chicks but I have attached a pik.

 

[FloorCandy]

Agreed with everything said, the wire is too drafty, the plate needs to be set with a variety of height, and I would move the water and feed so it is just outside the edge of the plate and they can easily just peak out and get some without leaving the heat. I would also put a towel or washcloth under the plate so it holds the body heat when they are on it, the chicks (and all birds) lose most of their heat thru their feet, so you want something that holds in warmth under them, or they will be passing their heat onto the plastic, metal, wood floor. I have cheap shop towels that I got like 25 for $5 or something, and if they get really crusty I just throw it out, otherwise I just wash them.

Young chicks will wander out of the heat and they are too dumb to remember how to get back, but you can put a light outside the brooder, I use a small table lamp, and put it to the side that the plate is on, and when they are ready to go back they will instinctually follow the light. I use a heat plate sometimes, when I’ve got a lot of chicks and need more brooders, and I mostly use ceramic bulbs that don’t glow, for the first several days I’ll have the table lamp, or depending on placement of the brooder, I might have a hall light on that’s coincidentally well placed. Another issue with lost chicks, one will go out to eat, get lost, and call for his friends. Instead of calling back, the others will wander out to the lost chick and they’ll all pile up out there because they forgot how to get back and there’s no one left to call for directions. They will die from cold, or crush each other if there’s enough of them. Moving the feed and water right next to the plate helps this too, I’ll often put the lip of the container right under the plate, it’s not like a heat light, the plate won’t warm the water and cause them to get into the warm water. I also use small parakeet waterers for new chicks, it’s like a small bottle with a narrow open top tube sticking out, there’s no way for them to get into the water because the trough is so small, and you can put it right next to the plate, and there’s no way for them be able to go around to the other side of a big device and get lost.