few questions from a newbie

[carob]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can answer a few simple questions for me about my 13, 3 week old quail.
Since this is the first time I have raised quail I am unsure of when to start somethings for them. Ive been looking online but haven't had much success in finding this information.

When Should I give them "duster" and whats the best material to use? Ive seen were plain dirt can be bad so i wasn't sure. There adult pen will be a wire floor. I would like to have them on the ground but with everything Ive read about diseases and sickness i feel this maybe better.

When should i start giving them grit and or oyster/clam shells?

When can i give them bugs, and fruits or vegetables? i was told there still to young, and is there anything that's poisonous to them?

Ive read that most people recommend keeping them under heat light until there 8 weeks old, I don't think i will be able to keep them in there current pen for that long. Our nights are around 60 and the days are around 90. I assume if i move them out in maybe 3 weeks i can get away with using a heat light just at night. I'm scarred to move them outside to soon.

I'm sorry if some of these questions seem silly or senseless but I just wanna be sure I'm giving them the best care i possibly can give them. If anyone would like to offer me some advice or suggestions on anything I would appreciate it as I'm learning as i go. I added some pictures of my babies below just because i could and there so cute, and bad lol

 

[dc3085]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can answer a few simple questions for me about my 13, 3 week old quail.
Since this is the first time I have raised quail I am unsure of when to start somethings for them. Ive been looking online but haven't had much success in finding this information.

When Should I give them "duster" and whats the best material to use? Ive seen were plain dirt can be bad so i wasn't sure. There adult pen will be a wire floor. I would like to have them on the ground but with everything Ive read about diseases and sickness i feel this maybe better.

Don't give them any sort of sand or litter until they are past 8 weeks of age. Giving them sand now can lead to eneteritis.

When should i start giving them grit and or oyster/clam shells?

Oyster shell you don't really need to start until the hens are laying and these being bobwhites your hens won't lay until May of next year. It's still not a bad idea to offer them oyster shell from 12 weeks on. they self regulate minerals and will only eat it if they need it.

Gamebird food is water soluble so no grit is required. If you are feeding them greens and fruits they will need grit to aid digestion.

When can i give them bugs, and fruits or vegetables? i was told there still to young, and is there anything that's poisonous to them?

It's best if they don't bugs. Most parasites spend part of their life in an intermediary host, which are usually bugs (i.e. ant, grasshoppers, worms, slugs, snails, flies, moths, etc.)

Fruits and veggies are fine after 8 weeks of age. Once you begin feeding these you will need to supply grit.

Ive read that most people recommend keeping them under heat light until there 8 weeks old, I don't think i will be able to keep them in there current pen for that long. Our nights are around 60 and the days are around 90. I assume if i move them out in maybe 3 weeks i can get away with using a heat light just at night. I'm scarred to move them outside to soon.

When bobwhites hatch they should be kept at 97*F. Every week after that you can decrease the temp by 5-6 degrees. They only need the heat lamp for the first 4 weeks or until they are fully feathered.

I'm sorry if some of these questions seem silly or senseless but I just wanna be sure I'm giving them the best care i possibly can give them. If anyone would like to offer me some advice or suggestions on anything I would appreciate it as I'm learning as i go. I added some pictures of my babies below just because i could and there so cute, and bad lol

Here is an article on raising bobwhites.

 

[carob]

Thank you so much dc3085 for the info i really appreciate it.
I am also really happy to hear that i don't need the heat light as long as i thought. my babes are almost fully feathered, there back is a little thin yet so ill continue that for a short time and then move them outside.