dying quail chicks

[Jo-C]

Hi, I have been hatching and keeping quail for a few months now but seem to lose a number of chicks in the first week. I don't lose any from eggs that I have bought in or if I have it has been very soon after hatch and obviously weak from the start. The problem seems to be with my own eggs.
I bought 2 original pairs of quail from a breeder who assured me they weren't related. He sold them as 2 seperate pairs. The males fought in the aviary or rather one male fought...a lot so I took him out leaving one male and 2 females. I bought some hatching eggs (no dying chicks from this batch) and when old enough I put 2 females in with the single male. I have lost chicks from both of these sets although only one from the 2 new female set up. Sorry if that was a bit complicated but I'm wondering if my problem is with the original quail I bought and they were in fact related. I told the seller I was planning on putting them in the aviary together and he said that is how he kept his.
I've bought 3 lots of eggs and never had a problem.
I grind the high protein chick food into smaller powder like pieces, make sure they are all eating and drinking and use a heat plate not a lamp. There are no drafts.
The chicks appear fine, eating, drinking and running round, then within sometimes an hour they have died. They just seem to get almost drowsy, not eating or moving and I know I am going to find it dead. I've lost 5 in the last week from a batch of 15. I don't think it can be disease as incubators and brooders are disinfected thoroughly and were used for the bought eggs.

Any insight or suggestions would be gratefully received.

 

[RosieR]

I wonder if the heat plate is the issue. Many ppl report the quail can’t figure it out, or it’s too high for them to rest properly under it. They have to be able to touch it with their backs.
Are they coturnix quail?
Some colour mutations can produce lethal genes in some of the chicks, that might be something to read into as well.
If all else fails maybe get a few hens from another source to diversify genetics.

 

[Jo-C]

I have the plate that has 4 legs and can go quite low, much lower than the brinsea one. I have it lower at the back than the front so they can choose where to lie. I have used it for the chicks from bought eggs as well. The ones I am losing are Italian. It's normaly 4 or 5 from a hatch of 15-20 that I lose so not all of them. It may just be nature but it seems strange that I don't lose any from eggs from other sources.

 

[le_bwah]

If you're doing everything the same between batches, it may very well be a genetics issue. Lethal genes usually show up as deaths in early early development. Italians and goldens are particularly prone to this; I think roughly 25% percent of a golden-golden cross will result in lethal empties.

What do you feed your adults? I've heard that hens who don't get enough vitamins can lay eggs with deficient yolks. Or maybe yours are having trouble processing enough of certain things. Whatever it is, I'm sorry it's happening; losing chicks isn't easy.

 

[Jo-C]

They are fed game bird layers pellets as a staple but do eat some of the finch food that the other birds drop in the aviary. I also give dried meal worms as a treat and various vegetables. When I make egg food for the finches they normally have some of that too.
The eggs I have bought in were Japanese and golden giants. All of these were fine.

 

[Erkenstein]

Yes my first thoughts also were either lethal genes or nutrition in the parent birds. It sounds like nutrition is okay. If you figure out that it's a lethal gene, you won't be able to do anything about it except to change the breeder bird(s) or accept that you are going to lose some every time and cull them early when you see they are weak.

Fortunately with quail it only takes 8 weeks to have other breeding options.

 

[Jo-C]

I do like the Italians but have taken quite a liking to the Japanese as well so may switch. I've never really got my head round the lethal gene. If I keep these females but don't use them for breeding, are the eggs OK for eating?

 

[lomine]

I'm pretty sure the lethal gene causes the chicks to die in egg, not after.

I was also thinking this may be a nutritional problem. I would cut out all the treats, wait a couple weeks, and set another batch. If this batch has fewer deaths you know it's linked to egg nutrition, if not you can move on to the next theory.

 

[Erkenstein]

Also the fact that purchased eggs haven't had a problem could be misleading. Depending on how many batches of each you've hatched, it could be just chance that you've lost the ones from your own birds and not from the purchased eggs.

 

[007Sean]

I agree with @lomine , I think it's a nutritional issue in the breeder stock.
Personally, I would not feed layer pellets, not enough protein. A complete and balanced feed of 24% protein would give a better performance from your breeding stock. If it is a complete/balanced feed there is no need to add oyster grit or other calcium supplement.
Feed them this for a month or two, no treats, just the feed. Then try hatching again, if you have the same results as before, then I would suspect a lethal gene but as already stated, that usually affects the embryo in the shell. Very rarely a chick with a lethal gene will hatch but usually dies very soon after hatching or will just pip, then die.
Wish you the best in troubleshooting your situation. Good luck on future hatches.