First time hatching quail 12 pipped ...it'sbeen 12-24 hours

[brandnewlife]

Hey Erin,

How are the quail chicks doing? I hope you have enough that survive.

I sure do wish I had met you years ago, I had a lot of variaties of the Bobwhite here in VA but sold them all a few years back.

And by the way, thank you so much for the encouragement today, I definitely needed that!

 

[Msbear]

And thanks for all the quail tips... I needed that

I lost one more but, I think, the rest are going to make it. I mashed up the crumbles and spread them around on the papertowel I have them on. One keeps laying on its side... I pick it up and feed/water is with a syringe here and there... seems to be getting better. Hopefully, I'll see a big improvement tomorrow. I feel so aweful thinking that I starved two

But, lesson learned, I guess. They are so tiny. I can't imagine them ever getting big enough to eat... I guess, when they are, I'll have to bring them to your house to try out that new plucker

Let me know when you wanna come pick up that mille hen. She's yours whenever you want her and I will take you up on that incubator space... probably in a couple weeks. I'll start collecting now.

 

[brandnewlife]

The main thing to remember with hatching quail is that they do not have the yolk to nourish themselves like baby poultry chicks do. They must have ground up food and water right after hatching. I nevered use bowls or feeders for their food for the first week or so. I just scattered ground gamebird or turkey starter on the paper towels and within a week or so they were almost doubled in size. After that they grow very quickly. We always used turkey starter 35% protein. After raising thousands and thousands of so many different species of quail one tends to learn quite a bit.

You did not kill anyone, it is just a simple matter than no one mentored you prior to to hatching these little ones out. It has happened to all of us. Now you know the ropes, but should you need anymore assistance you know you can count on me!

I will be there for the Mille hen in day or two, if it is a good day for you.

Hugs to you Erin.

P.S. The incubators are waiting for you!

 

[Msbear]

What a nightmare! I finally got all of them fairly active by midnight last night after feeding some of them every couple hours with syringes. They wouldn't peck at the crumbles I mashed for them in the brooder. So, I finally went to bed and woke up around 3 and went and checked on them... everything seemed fine. They were all sleeping (right side up

) under the heat light so I went back to bed. Hubby got up for work at 6 and I asked him to go and check it out.

He came back with "3 are dead and two don't look good" out of 8 total

I jumped up and grabbed each one starting with the ones in worst shape. The 3 worst ones wouldn't even open their beak so I opened them with a toothpick and fed them water with just a bit of crumble dust in it. The ones that were laying on their sides but kicking their legs

I fed the wet mash.. they opened their beaks and ate. As I got through the last one, I noticed the first one was still laying on its side, but the 2nd worse one was up and around so I got a was relieved a bit. Fast forward all day today and about 3 feedings each and numerous "chook chook chook" and pointing to the food that was everywhere in their cage that they would not touch, FINALLY, they are eating it. One did die but the rest are doing fine and calling and active. Boy, I had no idea how unprepared I was for such tiny little things. Now, how in the heck can I eat something I tried to hard to keep alive?

I guess I'll just eat their babies... how awful

 

[brandnewlife]

I feel for you Erin.....up all night....been there, done that. You're such a good momma!

Anything that I can help you with just ask, I am here!