Help with splayed legs and how long to leave chick in incubator

[FloorCandy]

I only raised the side of the heat plate today because I found the bigger chick was staying out at the edges rather than under it. I can lower it again but not sure if he will get too cold by staying outside it. It was all lower before today. I’ve heard of a lot of issues with heat lights causing fires which is why I bought the heat plate. Maybe that was the wrong decision

I hear people worrying and warning that heat lights can cause fires, but I’ve never known anyone who had a heat light cause a fire. Just be sensible about it, I have stands that hold my lights, I don’t just toss them on top of brooders. I clean the dust and grime out of the lights before each use, and they are connected to surge protectors. People run lights over reptiles and other pets for years without any problems, the odds of someone running lights for just a few weeks and having an issue are pretty slim in comparison to someone running 10 lights over various pets 24/7 for years.

 

[Jada22]

I hear people worrying and warning that heat lights can cause fires, but I’ve never known anyone who had a heat light cause a fire. Just be sensible about it, I have stands that hold my lights, I don’t just toss them on top of brooders. I clean the dust and grime out of the lights before each use, and they are connected to surge protectors. People run lights over reptiles and other pets for years without any problems, the odds of someone running lights for just a few weeks and having an issue are pretty slim in comparison to someone running 10 lights over various pets 24/7 for years.

Thanks for that. I’ve never heard anything against the heat plates, only negatives on the lamps. I could of saved myself money and possibly some chicks by just using a heat lamp instead.

 

[FloorCandy]

Thanks for that. I’ve never heard anything against the heat plates, only negatives on the lamps. I could of saved myself money and possibly some chicks by just using a heat lamp instead.

Don’t get me wrong the heat plates are great, but just not for new quail. I often intro my buttons to slightly older groups, as I sell them and condense them into new groups, and I use a heat plate for that. Last weekend I put 2.5-3 week old chicks with a few 3-7 week old males. I set up the plate at a slant, the smaller chicks can easily fit under, and the big ones can wedge in at the sides, but not go all the way, this gives the younger ones a safe place to hide and still gives them warmth, and the big ones get used to mingling with them, after a week or so, you can’t tell they were ever strangers, I haven’t had a single injury this way so far. I also use the heat plate quite often in what I call “sick bay”. It’s great for older chicks or birds that are ill and just need a bit of warmth and safety without glaring heat beating down on them.

 

[Jada22]

Don’t get me wrong the heat plates are great, but just not for new quail. I often intro my buttons to slightly older groups, as I sell them and condense them into new groups, and I use a heat plate for that. Last weekend I put 2.5-3 week old chicks with a few 3-7 week old males. I set up the plate at a slant, the smaller chicks can easily fit under, and the big ones can wedge in at the sides, but not go all the way, this gives the younger ones a safe place to hide and still gives them warmth, and the big ones get used to mingling with them, after a week or so, you can’t tell they were ever strangers, I haven’t had a single injury this way so far. I also use the heat plate quite often in what I call “sick bay”. It’s great for older chicks or birds that are ill and just need a bit of warmth and safety without glaring heat beating down on them.

So what age is safe to start using a heat plate instead? 3 weeks?
Thanks for this at least it gives me a reason as to where I might have gone wrong. I wish I knew sooner.

 

[Nabiki]

By three weeks, they shouldn't need heat unless they're outside.

I don't use heat plates, I use reptile heat emitters in a heat lamp, but I would guess at 5 days plus?

 

[FloorCandy]

So what age is safe to start using a heat plate instead? 3 weeks?
Thanks for this at least it gives me a reason as to where I might have gone wrong. I wish I knew sooner.

That was buttons, you have Coturnix right? At 2 weeks my cots don’t need heat, so that won’t be an issue, but for cots I would say you can use a heat plate if you really want to, at about a week, if you use a ceramic bulb tho, I’ve found the chicks are much more active, and start flight training very early, they do it the most with a ceramic bulb, less with light emitting bulbs, and they rarely do this with a heat plate. I feel like all the running, jumping and flapping is good for them, and helps make them as strong as possible for the move outdoors, especially in colder weather.