First time hatching and raising button quail

[Diveks]

It’s great that there’s mesh between the birds and the lamp in case something goes wrong (having a bulb blow on you can be frightening) and my quail are in a front opening glass viv with a mesh top as well (Exo Terra). They were brooded in a wooden vivarium original with a cage like the one you pictured but they also do ones that just go over the front of the dome. Any heat source should be plugged into a thermostat controller and a surge protected socket which should help prevent overheating and malfunctions. Also the thermostat probe can allow you to monitor the temperature in real-time. They do ones with digital displays etc.

thanks i will be getting the thermostat. I'm hoping they will reduce my chances of problems.

I've had to brood my chicks with my own body heat for a whole night after a heat emitter turned off at midnight. good thing my normal body temperature is pretty high (99f)

 

[Canina]

thanks i will be getting the thermostat. I'm hoping they will reduce my chances of problems.

I've had to brood my chicks with my own body heat for a whole night after a heat emitter turned off at midnight. good thing my normal body temperature is pretty high (99f)

Great, hopefully that will give you peace of mind as you can always check the temps and adjust them from the controller if needed and if there is a malfunction it should cut power to the device. Dimming thermostats are better for bulbs and pulse or on/off thermostats for mats. Also means less likely to start a fire!

Aww bless you, did you hear about the artist who hatched chicks with his body heat? Poor guy had to sit in a glass box for 3 weeks as part of an art installation that also keep the warm in, but hopefully you weren’t kept up too bad worrying about rolling over in them or something. Nice way to bond with them though for sure.

 

[Diveks]

Great, hopefully that will give you peace of mind as you can always check the temps and adjust them from the controller if needed and if there is a malfunction it should cut power to the device. Dimming thermostats are better for bulbs and pulse or on/off thermostats for mats. Also means less likely to start a fire!

Aww bless you, did you hear about the artist who hatched chicks with his body heat? Poor guy had to sit in a glass box for 3 weeks as part of an art installation that also keep the warm in, but hopefully you weren’t kept up too bad worrying about rolling over in them or something. Nice way to bond with them though for sure.

Yes i heard about that! I woke up 2 times a night for 2 entire nights not too bad. I had to wait for a shipment of the heat plate, that chick turned out to be one mean roo though. The lights blowing out happened twice and one of those incidents were for a solo chick. None of it’s buddies made it.

The (now) rooster is so mean to hens because he got attacked by the head hen and has held a grudge ever since. I do not have him with the others since I think he will end up killing one. he is not even mating with them just grabbing their heads dragging them around. Even if the hen submits he will still relentlessly claw and peck the poor hens. After the head hen incident he started attacking everything even my dog. Now one of my friends are looking to take the lone guy in.

Also, long story short half of my household got covid so i am not allowed to go to the second floor. Unfortunately the brooding tank was kept somewhere up there and i can’t go grab it. So all i have now is the pet ICU brooder thing downstairs unless i want to spend $50 on a new setup. All i need is the container to keep them in. Maybe i could shine a light from the side while i make some type of mesh thing to prevent them form flying out (i will be taking the sliding door out)? It should only be for another week (hopefully).

The chicks will be hatching soon as this is day 13. Im hoping this would work:

 

[Diveks]

Nevermind i found a small 7 gallon aquarium not in use, would that work instead for the first 5 days or so?

 

[Canina]

Nevermind i found a small 7 gallon aquarium not in use, would that work instead for the first 5 days or so?

Have you got the thermostat for the bulb and/or under tank heat mat/brooder plate? If there is no mesh top or heat proof cage and you’re fixing it above the tank its doubly important the bulb doesn’t malfunction. A bit on the small sid exit so is mine.

This is my brooder. It has vents and holes for cables in the back for the heat mat under the Aspen

However I recognise that the bulb being in there and the hard wooden top present a boinking hazard once they are a certain age and jumping about. If I had another tank like below (mesh top) but shorter in length, it would be ideal.

Just be vigilant about any spillages so you don’t end up with mouldy substrate or anything and your heat lamp is secured well.

 

[Canina]

Yes i heard about that! I woke up 2 times a night for 2 entire nights not too bad. I had to wait for a shipment of the heat plate, that chick turned out to be one mean roo though. The lights blowing out happened twice and one of those incidents were for a solo chick. None of it’s buddies made it.

The (now) rooster is so mean to hens because he got attacked by the head hen and has held a grudge ever since. I do not have him with the others since I think he will end up killing one. he is not even mating with them just grabbing their heads dragging them around. Even if the hen submits he will still relentlessly claw and peck the poor hens. After the head hen incident he started attacking everything even my dog. Now one of my friends are looking to take the lone guy in.

Also, long story short half of my household got covid so i am not allowed to go to the second floor. Unfortunately the brooding tank was kept somewhere up there and i can’t go grab it. So all i have now is the pet ICU brooder thing downstairs unless i want to spend $50 on a new setup. All i need is the container to keep them in. Maybe i could shine a light from the side while i make some type of mesh thing to prevent them form flying out (i will be taking the sliding door out)? It should only be for another week (hopefully).

The chicks will be hatching soon as this is day 13. Im hoping this would work:
View attachment 3010772

If you do go with the pet brooder just check the temperature gauge on it is accurate with another thermometer and it should be ok.

By the way, for whatever reason I just had one egg hatch super early and the rest haven’t pipped yet but are still alive. The incubator is also the brooder and the baby is lonely, so they are now sleeping in my sports bra!

 

[Diveks]

Have you got the thermostat for the bulb and/or under tank heat mat/brooder plate? If there is no mesh top or heat proof cage and you’re fixing it above the tank its doubly important the bulb doesn’t malfunction. A bit on the small sid exit so is mine.

This is my brooder. It has vents and holes for cables in the back for the heat mat under the Aspen
View attachment 3010933

View attachment 3010935
However I recognise that the bulb being in there and the hard wooden top present a boinking hazard once they are a certain age and jumping about. If I had another tank like below (mesh top) but shorter in length, it would be ideal.

View attachment 3010937

Just be vigilant about any spillages so you don’t end up with mouldy substrate or anything and your heat lamp is secured well.

The thermostat and guard is on the way. They should arrive in time unless the chicks decide to hatch early. I was going to use a tank like the bottom pic but yeah all this happened so i guess ill have to go with the tank for now.

If you do go with the pet brooder just check the temperature gauge on it is accurate with another thermometer and it should be ok.

By the way, for whatever reason I just had one egg hatch super early and the rest haven’t pipped yet but are still alive. The incubator is also the brooder and the baby is lonely, so they are now sleeping in my sports bra!

Aw hope the baby’s friends hatch soon so they wont be too lonely. Im hoping the tank will be okay for a bit. Plus, with this tank i can have it on my desk so i can spend more time with them. Although it wont be a front opening door so i might scare then a bit.

 

[Canina]

The thermostat and guard is on the way. They should arrive in time unless the chicks decide to hatch early. I was going to use a tank like the bottom pic but yeah all this happened so i guess ill have to go with the tank for now.


Aw hope the baby’s friends hatch soon so they wont be too lonely. Im hoping the tank will be okay for a bit. Plus, with this tank i can have it on my desk so i can spend more time with them. Although it wont be a front opening door so i might scare then a bit.

It’s a shame your plans kind of got messed up but at least there’s plans B and C. Thanks I hope the rest hurry up soon; hopefully your babies will get used to you quickly being on your desk and they won’t get quite as spooked going in from the top. My tank is literally next to me on the cabinet but facing the other way and baby was tapping on the glass screaming for me lol

 

[Diveks]

It’s a shame your plans kind of got messed up but at least there’s plans B and C. Thanks I hope the rest hurry up soon; hopefully your babies will get used to you quickly being on your desk and they won’t get quite as spooked going in from the top. My tank is literally next to me on the cabinet but facing the other way and baby was tapping on the glass screaming for me lol

Aww i would love some tamed button quails. Random question but what humidity did you have them at on lockdown since im having issues rising mine above 63%z

 

[Diveks]

Here is what the temporary brooder should look like:

Im currently trying to set the temperature. It has to be pretty low to get the right temperature (50 watt ceramic heater) im thinking i should get a higher watt heat emitter, or would a infrared one work better with distance? And if so 75 or 100 watt ones?