Help! CA quail chick went from Seemingly fine to listless and dying overnight?

[birdnoob]

All 8 seemed fine when I turned on the heat lamp last night, but this morning one was extremely listless and Is deteriorating rapidly, it may already be dead as I type this. I thought it might be dehydration as the waterer did drain into the bedding last night, but it wouldn't take any, and by the time I fixed everything, it was barely alive if at all. The only thing I can think of is that I have just started giving them mealworms.

 

[birdnoob]

Yup, it's gone into rigor; it's gone. Nothing wrong on close examination and the other 7 seem perfectly fine.

 

[raleighblues]

When my friend first started raising chickens a lot of her chicks died at first. She had a really nice set up so we were all sad to see it. The second time she raised chicks she switched it up and now none have died.

Her first setup was a cardboard box with an open top and a brooder lightbulb. Her second setup had a top, white Christmas lights (for warmth?) and one of those yellow chick warmers.

I think that temperature was the most important difference in her case. No drafts, and a cozy chick warmer.

 

[Nabiki]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Sometimes chicks just fail to thrive. There's nothing you can do in that case.

If the waterer got knocked over, it might have gotten chilled from that, but I suspect failure to thrive.

How old are your chicks? I wouldn't start giving mealworms until they're at least 3 weeks old, probably 4-5 weeks.

 

[Ntsees]

All 8 seemed fine when I turned on the heat lamp last night, but this morning one was extremely listless and Is deteriorating rapidly, it may already be dead as I type this. I thought it might be dehydration as the waterer did drain into the bedding last night, but it wouldn't take any, and by the time I fixed everything, it was barely alive if at all. The only thing I can think of is that I have just started giving them mealworms.

As chicks, they require a high protein diet and so mealworms shouldn't have been the problem (unless the mealworms are too big that they can't eat it). Do your chicks drink water fine? What's your setup like (if the container gets too hot from the heat lamp, can the chicks move away to a cooler spot)?