I think I am crazy

[Pattycat]

So, about four weeks ago my children were swimming in the pool and a baby gambel quail ran up to my son and tried to cuddle his leg like it would its mother. We did not touch the chicky, but gave him a box to walk into to protect from predators. WE left the quail alone in the backyard for hours until a huge thunderstorm came in and we saved him from it. So we made a little bed for him in our bathtub for the night and tried again in the morning. Our neighbor came to us with tears in her eyes and told us that her dogs had ravaged a nest in her yard and there were baby chicks all over the yard. We decided that we would try to raise baby chicky by ourselves as momma wasn't the smartest bird in the area. So about a week after we had him we realized that little chicky was lonely and looked really bad. We were feeding him gamebird food and giving him local weeds as we are in AZ and the bird is native. Long story short, we got some baby chicks to live with him. He has thrived for the past three weeks, but yesterday I was noticing that his poop is super watery. We are getting ready to remove the heat lamp this week as he is no longer shivering when we hold him and he is staying in the back side of the brooding box, where it is shady. All of the birds are eating gamebird food and he is growing like a little weed and seems happy, he flew onto my shoulder when I was in the bathroom last night. (They are all living in my bathroom because garage is way too hot in the summer and outdoors is way too unpredictable.) Should I be worried about his poo?

 

[Invision]

Well if you have never raised game birds before you may want to think about taking them to the local wildlife rescue shelter.

Poop changes with diet, just keep feeding the little ones the gamebrid feed fresh water and room temp around 70-75, unfortunately they will likely not survive very long in the wild now that they have had human intervention so you might want to no get attached to them and make them a temporary shelter outside (dog/cat proof). if you want to give them somewhat of chance, get your kids or buy some crickets from the local petshop to teach them how to catch the bugs, but do not show them that they are coming from you...

 

[Pattycat]

Well, I have already started adding crickets and meal worms, mostly because they are the indigenous bugs in theneighborhood. WE also have been adding the weeds from the area. I have to admit that we are attached but our little guy seems to be doing really well. He is happy to be with the chickens and I will continue with the way that I have at this time. I would hate to put him outslde because he would not be able to care for himself.

 

[Advocat]

About a year and a half ago, I ended up with an "abandoned" baby Gambel Quail chick, and from reading up online at the time, I learned that once they have become separated from their family covey like that, they won't survive if released alone into the wild when they are older. They are "covey" birds, and if not recognized by any existing covey, they will be on their own, unable to mate, etc. and likely will not live long. Wildlife rehabbers who take these chicks will put them with other "found" chicks that have been turned over to the rehab, and those chicks can then be raised together to form a covey of their own and be released that way.

As you are in the Phoenix Metro area, you might try contacting a Wildlife rehab person or group there and see if they could take your chick and put with a group they have.

If you raise it on your own, go easy on the bug feeding and push more on the gamebird feed -- they need a diet with 30% protein. A bit of cooked and mashed egg yolk is also good. The chicks will eat bugs when little, but as adults they don't eat bugs as much and depend more on seeds, grains and so forth.

Mine is full grown now (male) and does great on gamebird feed (Purina Startena) with a pinch of Dove-and-Quail seed mix and occasional bits of fruit or broken-up sunflower seeds, etc. I keep sand in his box for his dust-bathing and also for any grit he may want when eating fruit or green stuff.

Also, if you have your quail chick with chicken chicks, according to all the advice given on this site they should be separated because chickens carry diseases that can kill quail.

Good luck!!

 

[kingmt]

I don't know anything about this type of quail so I won't advise on it. I will say that just saying watery doesn't give enough info. A picture usually says more then words.

As you've been told quail should never be in contact with chicken. This could be the cause if there is actually a problem. I also usually don't agree with intervening with wild life but in your case I do. You rescuing this bird has very little to do with the eco system. The neighbors dog disturbed it & this little guy would have just died for nothing. So I say feel good about yourself & enjoy your little friend.

Please post more info & hopefully you will get the knowledge you need.

Welcome to the quail section at BYC.

 

[Invision]

Well, I have already started adding crickets and meal worms, mostly because they are the indigenous bugs in theneighborhood. WE also have been adding the weeds from the area. I have to admit that we are attached but our little guy seems to be doing really well. He is happy to be with the chickens and I will continue with the way that I have at this time. I would hate to put him outslde because he would not be able to care for himself.

Remove him from the chickens.... that is always a big no no. These are not domestic birds and do not have the overtime immunities like Chickens ducks and other domestic birds. You may get lucky and not have an issue but it only takes one infection to end the quail. Sorry to be harsh but they should not be housed in the same yard In my honest Opinion... ensure you give them plenty of dirt to get the grit from.