Interesting day in the button quail world...

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Well, it's been exciting. So far 14 BQ chicks have hatched. In order to make room for the new ones in the brooder, I moved one 3 week old in with 3 7 weekers. One of the 7 weekers had its ears picked, so I moved it and a 3 week old into a separate cage (they are both white). Today I noticed that I hadn't seen the 3 weeker that was in with the 7 weekers. Found it hiding and noticed that its eye had been picked out. I feel horrible. I put some antibiotic ointment on it and put it in with the two white "misfits". It started eating and drinking right away. Hopefully it will be ok; they seemed to all be getting along fine.

 

[chickens4jojo]

Poor little thing!!! That must have hurt. :aww

But sometimes you don't know what animals will do until later.

Sounds like it will be OK now though....

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I didn't realize how cruel they could be. I noticed on Sunday that the white 7 weeker was bleeding - they had tried to peck its ears out on both sides! So that is why it's in a separate cage with the 3 week old white one, and now the little one-eyed guy. My little cage of misfits...If only I hadn't subject it to that...

 

[chickens4jojo]

Oh, I had to have a cage of "misfits" for 4 of my baby chicks this spring, too. They were getting de-feathered by the others so badly, I had to separate them, too! They all did so much better then & their feathers finally grew back, thankfully, They almost looked like those "naked neck Turkens" for a while though! LOL

You are a very caring owner, I think, to even have a "misfit cage!"

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Thanks! I'm happy to report that the 3 little misfits are getting along very well. When I checked on them this morning, they were all huddled together sleeping, and the little One-Eye got up and immediately started eating - I'm so relieved!!!

My hatch turned out well too - #15 hatched this morning and I'm hoping for a few more stragglers. Not too shabby out of 30 shipped eggs!!

 

[coffeemama]

Are you shure they're not bonking their heads? I have seen many bleeding ears from heat bonking in buttons. Just wondering