First Quail Hatch Update

[deer4011]

So I started out with 50 Jumbo Coutrnix eggs off ebay and incubated them. After about 12 days I culled the number of eggs to about 25, picking out the bad eggs by candling. I expected about 20 eggs to hatch but only got 16. I know this isn't the best of numbers but about half of the eggs werent fertile and the other 9 just didnt hatch. The 16 birds that did hatch all came out healthy with the exception of one which i had to help out of the shell a bit (I know youre not supposed to do that but I did to give him a chance) but he/she is doing fine. They are about 2.5 or 3 weeks old now and starting to get big. I wondering when is the best time to move them into their coop? They habe most of their feather but still get sluggish when I do unplug their heat lamp. I have split them up from 16 in one box to 8 in 2 seperate boxes. I keep them inside and really arent too smelly or loud as I clean their brooder boxes about once a day. Im just curious when theyre good to move. I live in lubbock texas and right now the temps at night do get down into the 30-40s. Also Im curious to know that kind of coop is best an above ground or on the ground coop. I do have quite a few stray cats around where i live but I do also have a black lab that can keep them at bay. Though he is a hunting dog he really just likes to look at the quail and when i brought one out for him to see what he would do he was cautious of it. Just curious what yall think the best coop for my quail would be. Also I was wondering how to sex them too. Theyre couturnix and I know you need to keep at least one male per cage so...

 

[cmobley]

They should have a heat lamp until 4 weeks of age. Your supposed to gradually go from 94 degrees to lower and lower temps to ween them from heat lamp. At 4 weeks they can go in cage one male 6 females is what i keep. My cage is 6' long 3' wide 18" tall stands on 2' legs. I also sectioned off my cage into 3 chambers with a 4" hole in each wall and a door so i can move them from one space to another for cleaning or leave doors open for them to have full access to entire pen. I keep a heat lamp on them on cold nights im in south alabama. If you build your pen on legs put a plywood shelf under the pen makes clean up alot easier. I also put my birds outta the brooder at 3 weeks during warmer months theyll huddle up and be fine.

 

[cmobley]

The females have black spots on their chest. Males just a light rusty colored chest no spots.