Dixie Chicks

[vehve]

I don't really know, but I thought birds regulated feed intake according to protein need, so high protein feed means less total energy into the bird. Also, most birds don't eat when it's dark, do the quail have added light?

 

[BriardChickens]

@vehve I think the timer is set to be 8 hours of light right now.

 

[Amberjem]

It's not a chicken, but it's still pretty cute.

 

[Amberjem]

DH and I will be purchasing a 14ft livestock trailer this week or next. . Thankfully we both drive trucks for the moment but it'll still be iffy for when we drive through the Rockies during our move.
We both have experience driving with trailers under load but I am so not looking forward to it.


Yesterday I walked into my chicken coop only to discover one of my quails falling over not being able to stand. It felt so skinny... no meat on this bird at all!! So I decided to bring it into the house (yeah, the cat thought this was a brilliant idea, she watched quail tv for almost the entire afternoon). Got food and water into it and it came back to life within an hour.
Then I went out to check on the rest of the quails. They weren't nearly as skinny as quail #1, but I could still feel the chest bones sticking out. I think maybe they burned too many calories to try and stay warm for the amount of food they ate?? Food is available 24/7 and replace the ice with fresh water once a day. They are on a Pheasant Starter which is 25% protein.
So, how do I put weight back on these birds? Crickets, worms, a special seed?

The cat still watches quail tv, she'll watch for hours and then passes out on the couch for brief periods of time. haha

maybe they need somemore carbos for the energy burned for the cold winter days? extra I dunno what quail can or cant eat corn bread something quail like?

 

[minihorse927]

Deb, unless it's something in your state that makes it illegal, we see homemade flat beds on dually trucks all the time around here.

We had a 1995 1 ton dodge with the Cummins engine. Unfortunately it had the automatic though. That's why we don't have it anymore. We towed a 20,000pound tractor without issue all over the hills of Kentucky with it and a 24ft gooseneck. Never had any issues towing or stopping that. Of course the trailer had brakes on both axles. Miss the old truck a little

 

[BriardChickens]

maybe they need somemore carbos for the energy burned for the cold winter days? extra I dunno what quail can or cant eat corn bread something quail like?

I am really not sure... something that is high in natural oils?? i don't know....

 

[Alaskan]

@vehve I think the timer is set to be 8 hours of light right now.

I would give them more light... the longer they have light, the longer and more they can eat.

 

[Alaskan]

talking with people in the dark north.... often the issue is simply not enough daylight hour to get enough feed into them.

 

[BriardChickens]

Maybe that's the issue @Alaskan For now they are in the house. Hopefully the cat won't figure out how to open the lids and they'll have more hours of light.

Any idea on what to feed them to fatten them up or just stick to the 25% protein feed?

 

[Cold Canadian]

@vehve I think the timer is set to be 8 hours of light right now.

Try crushing or crumbling some sunflower seed , high oil content