First bobwhite hatch

[jdw]

This is my very first hatch. I bought 50 bobwhite eggs . We hatched 41 out of 53 eggs. We've had 5 die thus far. They are two weeks old today and now flying two feet off the floor of the brroder. What the hell! I had broilers for the last three years now and had forgotten that these are actually birds that fly.just didn't expect so darn soon! I'm having a blast so far. Going out to a quail house we've built with attached 15 x 60 flight pen in a couple of weeks.when do these little guys lay eggs and do I treat egg layers differently than birds we are raising for release this fall?thanks in advance

 

[TwoCrows]

What are the symptoms of these chicks that are dying at 2 weeks old? Brooder temp should be about 87 degrees. No drafts in the brooder. Cocci is common with Bobwhites and if you are seeing red/black poop, you might want to continue to raise them on wire if they are not already on wire. Do not crowd Bobwhites in the brooder. Breeds sickness and cannibalism. Give them 1/4 to 1/2 square foot per bird at their present ages.

Bobwhites mature at 6 months old. You can sex them at 12 weeks. Being that yours are only 2 weeks old now, they won't lay until next spring.

Doing a release of Bobwhites is illegal in the US unless you have a permit. It is illegal to endanger our wild populations of Bobs.

Unless you plan on hunting these released birds immediately, you will only be sending them off to their deaths at release. They have lost all instincts of survival being pen raised. They will most likely die within the first 24 to 48 hours from predators unless you practice predator control in your area.