HELP- what do I do next???? (quail baby eaten alive)

[LilbitChicken]

HELP, anyone. Yesterday my long awaited Button and Cournix quail came home....I was SOOOOO happy. They ate and drank great!
They are on Turkey Starter(ground up)...and I gave them a boiled egg...this morning around 4:00am, all was well, changed food and water....BUT THEN sometime between...4:00 am and 6:30am....they picked on one of the little fluff balls!!! To the point of missing wing, and no skin on his back, everything hanging out!

I picked him up, still breathing and chirping!!!

WHY!!!! WHAT did I do wrong!!!!! (I had to sleep for a few hours, but now I wish I hadn't)

WHAT do I do to make sure this doesn't happen again!!!!!!!!! HELP!

 

[Emilys3guppies]

I'm no expert by any means, but what kind of light do you have in their brooder? Also, do they have places to hide...a box, ect.?

I'm sorry about your little one. It's hard that birdies so cute can be so brutal.

 

[LilbitChicken]

Well, they have the typical RED, 100W...the brooder temp is 94 degrees, they all seem "normal"/comfortable with the temp.
As for boxes/hiding....there is a tube (from a toilet paper roll) in there, but they hardly take notice to it.....unless they are playing....

I am just soooo upset about loosing the little one to such cannibalism.

WHY did I go to sleep!!!!!! (for 2 hrs)

 

[citalk2much]

Red can be a bad color for them I would use a black light I also replied to your PM

 

[LilbitChicken]

Quote:
Okay I changed the light out......can i ask WHY the black light?

(probably a dumb question.....I know) but I don't know HOW I would have missed about that reading!!!! AHHHHH@!!!

 

[tonini3059]

I had that happen last week with my tennessee reds. I used a smaller light bulb and moved them to a cooler part of the house. They have been fine since. Good luck!

 

[LilbitChicken]

Quote:
(sigh) I just feel......sad.

Sad I couldn't save the baby.
disappointed...I wasn't prepared as much as I thought I was.

All the reading, and reading.......WHY wasn't I ready!!!!

 

[citalk2much]

It happens with quail they can be mean!
You don't always have to use black lights only if they are pickers
Red is an aggression color they will sometimes react badly to it.

 

[tonini3059]

I have hatched out quail before and never had a problem, but the reds are def different. They are so flighty. They had the one that died's leg picked clear to the bone in a matter of less than an hour.

 

[spook]

Mother nature is sometimes cruel. Sorry that you are having to deal with this- all of you.