My First Quail

[ChaosDog]

Back from the post office and opened up the box. They sent 20 :O!
I'll have to take out the turning ring in the brinsea i have to be able to fit them, so i'll have to manually turn them, but that's okay!

 

[quailkids14]

I turned my manually. It was kinda fun made me feel like I played a bigger Part in helping them hatch.

 

[ChaosDog]

Yeah, I'm not at all bothered that i've got to now, it's really worth trying to incubate all of them, rather than just 12 to let them and be lazy.

 

[Bryanshantel]

I also just started with quail. I have been raising them for about a year now and most of mine died at first. This is what I learned from them. Keep antibiotics handy, if they start dieing and you have the temp right and humidity right then they need a small dose. In fact, I don't know if it is right or not but I just go ahead and give them a dose and my second batch did much better I didn't lose a single one. when putting them outside (when they are older) make sure they are under shelter at all times. I had mine out in a chicken run set up with shelter off to the side and they would not go in at night or go in during a rain I lost most of them to the elements unless I had my kids catch them every night and put them in. We now have them in a hutch type set up and they are doing great as long as it stays warm. In the winter time if the temp gets below 40 even with lots of hay they were still dying on me and my chickens did fine. I have a heat lamp in the hutch at all times now and turn it on at night and have the sides closed with plastic during winter. I have one side that folds up during the day and warmer nights so they can see outside. I hope you have a better first time then I did and I hope this helps if you know of something I am doing wrong please let me know I am still learning.

 

[ChaosDog]

I also just started with quail. I have been raising them for about a year now and most of mine died at first. This is what I learned from them. Keep antibiotics handy, if they start dieing and you have the temp right and humidity right then they need a small dose. In fact, I don't know if it is right or not but I just go ahead and give them a dose and my second batch did much better I didn't lose a single one. when putting them outside (when they are older) make sure they are under shelter at all times. I had mine out in a chicken run set up with shelter off to the side and they would not go in at night or go in during a rain I lost most of them to the elements unless I had my kids catch them every night and put them in. We now have them in a hutch type set up and they are doing great as long as it stays warm. In the winter time if the temp gets below 40 even with lots of hay they were still dying on me and my chickens did fine. I have a heat lamp in the hutch at all times now and turn it on at night and have the sides closed with plastic during winter. I have one side that folds up during the day and warmer nights so they can see outside. I hope you have a better first time then I did and I hope this helps if you know of something I am doing wrong please let me know I am still learning.

That's really good advice on the antibiotics, thank you! What kind do you recommend? What size dose? Living in central Florida, cold winters aren't really an issue, heat seems more of a problem, and to leave frozen water bottles in their enclosure/cage so they can keep cool when it gets very hot. I will definitely be keeping them covered since they will be contained in a large cage. I want to make sure I do everything right to minimize deaths...I know that sometimes they just happen, and also sometimes can't be avoided, so for as excited as I am, i'm probably more nervous.

What sort of quail are you raising?

 

[Bryanshantel]

I am raising Coturnix Quail I don't know what kind of antibiotic it was the only one they sell at my feed store and my mother has the package we share the cost. It is bright yellow though and it is for a large batch so we make it light yellow since the mix rate was a little complicated to go from several gallons to a pint or less. I did mix it to strong once and I noticed a build up of it on the beaks of the quail babies and it clogged their nostrils. So watch carefully and if you start to see a build up water it down a lot.

 

[quailkids14]

We have pips! At least 4 starting so far.

 

[ChaosDog]

We have pips! At least 4 starting so far.

Oooh how exciting!!

 

[quailkids14]

No babies yet! And it's been 15 hours I am getting nervous.

 

[shotgunrem14]

I also raise Coturnix quail. You said, "Keep antibiotics handy, if they start dieing and you have the temp right and humidity right then they need a small dose." What exactly did you mean by this. What size/age of quail are you referring too? What HUMIDITY settings are you talking about?