Need some help

[Canseco]

Hi Everyone,

I dont raise quail or anything but had a sad story and hoping you can give me some closure.

On Saturday, June 12, I noticed a Male Quail hanging around my backyard, I went to investigate and saw a Mother Quail and her collection of chicks, I counted 8 at the time. It was a wonderful scene. I left them alone. Dad was watching vigilantly daily, you could see him on top of the fence watching over her. They seemed newly born, very small but playful.

Sunday we were away all day and came home and all was well.

Monday was when things went from happy to sad. When I left for work, I noticed a Raven calling from the Trees nearby. He never came near the birds, but the dad bird seemed startled.

My mom called me frantically at around 4pm on Monday saying that some of the chicks had died. I looked to the nest and 5 chicks were sprawled out, I thought they were sleeping but they were dead. I worried for the remaining 3 chicks so left some water and ground grains out for them. I went to the gym, and by the time I came back something was not right with the remaining three. They were not walking anymore and were all hunched over. By nightfall a few hours later they were all dead. All in the same position, sprawled out and stiff.

Im trying to understand what happened? Within a 8 hour span all babies went from healthy to dead.

Im hoping some of you experts with Quail on this site can give me some answers as to why this wild quail lost all her babies. Im really sad for her and trying to cope as it happened in our yard.

Please feel free to respond here or email me: [email protected]

thanks

G

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Where are you/what kind of quail?

 

[Canseco]

Im on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. They are California Quail I think. Have a dangly feather on there heads.

My reading of this site so far sees that Chick Quail are responsible for there own feeding? The Mother Quail had nested in a spot (few stairs down near the doorway to a basement door) where it would be difficult for a chick quail to find food). If I was to guess I think they died of starvation. But thats my guess. That makes me very upset if ownly I had known to leave food out for them but I had no idea.

Hopefully experts on here can answer my questions.

G

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
I am not sure about calis but quail chicks have a really hard time regulating temp the first coupla weeks it is very easy for them to succumb to hypothermia

kina looks like it has been fairly cool up that way

http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/71799.html

 

[GBov]

I have no idea what happened but so sorry for you! The only words of comfort I have is a quote from a friend of mine.

"Sometimes they just die!"

Hopefully she was a young mother and will know better with her next clutch.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

I have hatched out about 30 Ca quail chicks so far this year, and every single one of them died at about 1 week.
Fine one day, weak the next, dead hours later.

My breeders were from a guy who basically kept them in such huge pens that they should be considered wild.
I have also yet to see any wild babies running around at my buddies place in Auburn, it is crawling with quail up there . . .

 

[Canseco]

So maybe this is more common than I think, and being exposed to something like this is a shock to a newbie like me, but is just how it is...

I appreciate everyones info on this and it has helped me learn a little more about quails. I hope the next time this mother lays a clutch she is more sucessfull

Gautam

 

[GBov]

Quote:
Could you try landscaping a bit of your yard with them in mind? Cover and food crops perhaps? You could make it look pretty with clover and wildflowers and she might be able to raise her next batch.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Quote:
In theory, since her first brood didnt make it, she should be able to throw a second clutch before the end of summer.
Lots of variables affect this tho . . .

 

[Canseco]

I am now better prepared if she decides to lay again in our yard. I know what to feed them and how to make sure they have what they need with respect to water, food, and cover. I have seen other babies around earlier this year so there have been some succesful hatchings and for sure in years past in our area.

Our weather has been very odd this year. Its mid-june and were yet to see 2 days of sunshine back to back. This may have had an effect as well.

I take solice in the fact there are so many of you that raise quail and bring so many new lives into the world through your countless hours of hard work. Maybe someone out there can release a few into the wild for the ones lost by my wild hen here in British Columbia.

They are such a beautiful bird, I saw mom and dad today in our yard again eating seed i layed out and grooming themselves, together and never seperated. Seems like they have dealt with their loss and hopefully will try again real soon.

The world is an interesting place.....

Gautam