I'm a newbie.....help!!

[SamanthaLea]

So I recently got 10 quail. They are about 3-4 weeks old now. They are in my garage in a cage at the moment but I would love to put them outside in this old hutch I have.....more room for them and more to look at.

I live in Boise, Idaho and it is starting to warm up. Lower 70s during the day and 40s at night. Can I put them outside without a heat lamp? Or should I wait? Next question: will they drink from a "rabbit" waterer? I am changing their water like 3 times a day because they always soil it. Can I teach them to use a waterer or will they just know? Is one rabbit waterer enough for 10 birds? Thanks for your help! Everyone is so informative on this site and I soooooooo appreciate it!

 

[Tdubg22]

I just hatched out 63 chicks and they have used a water nipple since birth. They will figure it out.

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

Rabbit waterers work fine for poultry. The only problem is that the pecking is not as conducive to water collection as a poultry cup. Nipples are fine, but they use the same wasteful intermittent method of peck-release of water-peck-release of water. The majority of water in these cases ends up wasted. The best watering systems I have used are the cups that use a system similar to the nipples yet the water is released by pecking the valve but fills up a small cup that doesn't allow for waste as easily. A 5 gallon bucket or larger connected to this system saves a lot of trips to watering well.

 

[dc3085]

I used to use the GQF quail cups. I stopped when I noticed if you give a bird using the cups a standard watering device they drink like they've never seen water. It seems they get enough to stay alive from them but not as much as they want.

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

"they drink like they've never seen water;:get enough to stay alive from them but not as much as they want." ???

The effectiveness of any on demand watering system can only be determined by a) hydration of animal, and b) availability of water.

If the quail drink a lot, this means they are being hydrated. The amount that they drink should not be related to the type of watering system, but rather to the level of hydration of the animal. With the logic previously presented, it would mean that if the quail drink less with another type of watering system, it means they are being better hydrated.

The second point of availability of water is determined by if the system provides water when water is needed. The less waste, them more should be available.

I would also suggest putting waterers and feeders at necks reach. It is through my observation that if eating and drinking involves some sore of physical strain, the animal will eat and drink when hungry and thirsty, rather than as a monotonous activity.

 

[SamanthaLea]

I'm thinking about getting something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-PK-SODA-P...D-CHICKS-/291052706219?_trksid=p2054897.l5658

 

[James the Bald]

I'm thinking about getting something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-PK-SODA-P...D-CHICKS-/291052706219?_trksid=p2054897.l5658

I use those. The sides of my cage are 1" x 1" and they fit perfectly. If you use 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth for your cage, you will have to cut a small opening to allow the drinkers to fit through. My cages are 24" x 36" and I have 4 of them in each cage (otherwise they will fight to get a drink). You will still need to wash or wrinse them out as the quail will deposit food in there.
I've tried all sorts of bottles, and unfortunately a 2 liter bottle won't fit, but if you can find a 1 liter bottle, it will work; you have to be careful that the spring isn't too tight or it will "squeeze" the water out and leak all over. OH, and I normally don't drink soft drinks, so I have a brush to scrub out the inside of the bottle and I reuse them. I tried to put them into the dishwasher, but it doesn't get the inside of the bottles clean enough... if they are not clean enough for me to drink out of, then they are not clean enough for my birds to drink out of either.
James

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

Those work well. I have and use them. I am not
A fan of lifting watered up and then placing them back when filled though.

 

[SamanthaLea]

I have another question. My quail are about 5? weeks old now. They have mostly been very calm little things (every once in a while one will get spooked and jump up) but starting yesterday, it seems for no reason, one will start running around and then the others will all start running too. Like they are doing laps around their hutch. It only lasts for a few seconds. What gives?? They did this off and on all day yesterday. I thought they were scared?? I have 10 cots, and at this point I know that I for sure have one male because just this morning I heard him crow and saw him try to breed another. Thanks for the help!!

 

[vtspilotcar]

they are probably just playing. You should be able to see if they are stressed. If not they are just like kids and love to play, and really all they can do it run. lol