First Time: Jumbo Brown Coutrnix Quail Chicks

[reese77]

This is my first time trying to raise quail. I purchased 27 day old chicks a week ago and, I have 25 left. 1 chick was deformed and I had to cull it, another chick was sickly and slept most of the time, I had to help it drink and eat but it was constantly being trampled and had not grown to the same size as the others. I checked the chick for common health issues and all looked well except that it's left eye was closed. I decided to give the chick one more day to see if it's condition improved but the next morning it was dead. I removed the chick and sanitized the brooder.

Excuse the stickers on the side of the brooder, this was a converted toy box and I the stickers are very hard to peel off.

Now I have 25 healthy chicks which I am feeding organic starter crumbles and some meal worms (a few worms every once in a while).

I currently keep the brooder in my garage which is pretty warm as I have my garage doors insulated. I only have a vent on the top of my brooder but I see other brooders with mesh all around. The thermometer inside the brooder reads 80F and I keep raising the light as the chicks seem to be hot as they move to the other side of the brooder and sometimes lay spread out under the light.

Do I need less heat for them as they get older? Should I cut a window into the side of the brooder for more air flow?

 

[Erkenstein]

That brooder looks great. They are spread out, which means that they aren't too cold. I advise you to put a plant saucer under the feeder after about the first week so that it catches the spills.

It's going to get cramped in there as they grow, and they are also going to cover everything with dust as they molt.

You don't want to add a draft by cutting holes in the sides. Instead, after about a week, raise up the lamp a couple of inches every few days to wean them off the heat. I put mine outside at just over two weeks old, and in their outside pen I use a smaller lamp for the first week they are out there so that they can warm up if they want to. They look to be pharaoh color, so you'll be able to sex them by feathers at 3 weeks old no problem.

You also don't need the screen on the top for the first week, until they start testing their wings.

Have fun!

 

[007Sean]

You'll want to decrease the temp by 5°F each week until they are fully feathered or the ambient temp is the same as the brooder temp. You might be looking for a bigger brooder soon, they grow fast and will soon out grow that one.
Need to check the temp at the level they are in bottom of the brooder. 80°F seems a little low to me for 1 week olds, normally around 90°F would be a more likely reading of the temp but they are also spread out and not bunching up, so they look like they are doing ok.

 

[reese77]

That brooder looks great. They are spread out, which means that they aren't too cold. I advise you to put a plant saucer under the feeder after about the first week so that it catches the spills.

It's going to get cramped in there as they grow, and they are also going to cover everything with dust as they molt.

You don't want to add a draft by cutting holes in the sides. Instead, after about a week, raise up the lamp a couple of inches every few days to wean them off the heat. I put mine outside at just over two weeks old, and in their outside pen I use a smaller lamp for the first week they are out there so that they can warm up if they want to. They look to be pharaoh color, so you'll be able to sex them by feathers at 3 weeks old no problem.

You also don't need the screen on the top for the first week, until they start testing their wings.

Have fun!

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I raised the light as they seem to be warm enough and never huddled together. Yes, I need to put a tray under the feeder, they are wasting a lot and I have already gone through 1.5 large bags of crumbles. I will buy the 25lb sack next. I need to complete the coop this Sunday, I will put up a build thread. I will need to see if I can run electricity to the part of my yard where the coop will be as it is a ways from the house, so I can have the heat lamp out there if they need as it is getting cold here in GA. I will post close up pictures in another week to see if you can help me sex the birds.

 

[reese77]

You'll want to decrease the temp by 5°F each week until they are fully feathered or the ambient temp is the same as the brooder temp. You might be looking for a bigger brooder soon, they grow fast and will soon out grow that one.
Need to check the temp at the level they are in bottom of the brooder. 80°F seems a little low to me for 1 week olds, normally around 90°F would be a more likely reading of the temp but they are also spread out and not bunching up, so they look like they are doing ok.

Thanks, yes, I have been raising/lowering the build as the temperature in the garage fluctuates throughout the day and I place the lamp depending on how the chicks are spread out. I think I will follow Erkenstein and put the chicks outside at 3 weeks but keep the heater bulb in the outside coop in case they need. I do not want to build a bigger brooder on top of completing the coop. Thanks for the input. I will post videos on my youtube channel and link soon.