New at this

[johnnybarfield]

Hello
My name is Johnny Barfield I am in Lyons, Ga. I am 13 days into my first ever at Ga Quail. I have tried to keep my temp at 99.5 and humidity 50-55%. I understand I have about 10 more days. The problem I am facing is 250 watt heat lamp and all I have to do is just put sauce on them. I am looking forward to my babies. I need some advice. It is hot enough without heatlamp. Thinking about red bulb. I have elevated lamp above my tote but it is 117 degrees. I have them inside my house and the a/c is running but not cold. Also what about humidity in tote brooder.
I am sorry for using up so much space. I started this as a new hobby and I want it to be GOOD.

 

[pkhunter]

Hello
My name is Johnny Barfield I am in Lyons, Ga. I am 13 days into my first ever at Ga Quail. I have tried to keep my temp at 99.5 and humidity 50-55%. I understand I have about 10 more days. The problem I am facing is 250 watt heat lamp and all I have to do is just put sauce on them. I am looking forward to my babies. I need some advice. It is hot enough without heatlamp. Thinking about red bulb. I have elevated lamp above my tote but it is 117 degrees. I have them inside my house and the a/c is running but not cold. Also what about humidity in tote brooder.
I am sorry for using up so much space. I started this as a new hobby and I want it to be GOOD.

Welcome and good luck with your hatch. I'm not sure I would try to brood them with no heat. I just use a 60 watt white bulb hanging above them so I can adjust the heat, should be 90-95 the first week them lower it by 5 degrees the second week. I've been putting mine outside on the ground at 2 weeks old with no problems the temp here in Texas is 78 - 105. Don't forget to raise the humidity to 65-70% when you put the eggs in lock down. Humidity in the brooder I don't worry about it.

 

[johnnybarfield]

Thank you pkhunter. Your response means so much.I noticed lowes has a red bulb that is a good bit less watts than 250. I am working on this when I am home from work I will try this also. I think it is a patio bulb.Temp here in Ga is high 90 with endex 101 -103. Thanks again.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You're heating a small plastic box in your house, not heating a hog barn on a cold winter's night. I use a regular 60w house bulb in my lamp, hung about 4-6" from the floor of the tote. Will handle 75 quail chicks no problem. I use the same thing in the outside wire bottom brooder cages.

 

[johnnybarfield]

Ok ChickenLegs13 good bit of difference there. I do appreciate your response. Thank you very much. I did have them smelly porkchops years ago. Quite a difference. My hatching is 10 days away I am trying to get things lined up for them. I hope I do get some babies tho.

 

[mistymmg]

Good luck with your hatch.. I too am a newbie (hatched Bob Whites 12 days ago).. With all the wonderful folks on this site they have steered me in all the right directions.. I appreciate them Sooo much!! I do have to agree about the 250 watt bulb (I tested one myself before hatch) it would fry them.. That's for an open area (barn stall etc..) A regular bulb (100, 75 or 60 watt) depending on the size tote will work Great!! However, the regular white/clear bulb did give me problems with pecking (yes, they come out of the shell as bullies). Lol.. I have 2 totes as brooders & have the lamp at the height of the tote using 100 watt (keeps the temp just right below) red bulbs.. I went to Petsmart & found only 2 100 watts (wattage needed for my testing), one of which is bright red & one is more dark black/purpleish.. I Love the dark one!! The bright red is good but since I have the totes near a window in my basement, the dark light lets the chicks realize there's a night & day.. The bright one lights up the tote so much you don't really see the daylight in it.. My lamps don't have a dimmer, therefore I've raised the lights just above the tote a little & next week plan on going down to a 75 watt bulb, then 60 & so on.. Im still asking tons of questions myself & through trial & error as well as these wonderful folks, am learning Sooooo much!! Happy Hatching!!! :yiipchick

 

[johnnybarfield]

Hi Johnny again. Today is monday pm. My quail starting hatching yesterday sunday. I started With 17 eggs. Went thru incubation right now I have 13 babies. 2 eggs I am 100 percent are not going to make it. I don't think they ever developed. 1 posibly will and 1 probably will not. I worry that they need water. I understand they consumned the yoke but I wonder about the water. They are fluffy and active.I seem to have a little problem keeping temp around 100. Do I need to keep them in incubator another day? And should I just forget about the water? I appreciate you help

 

[eHuman]

There's no good reason to leave them more than 36 hours in the bator, I would put them in the brooder and give the others a day or two to make up their minds before tossing them.

 

[johnnybarfield]

Well my babies are 4 and 5 days old and they are beautiful and growing.I started out with 17 and hatched 12.I am sorry the other 5 didn't make it. I told my wife if we hatched 6, I would be happy. So with 12 I am double happy. I will try and post a picture. This is my first time. I can't wait to get more started.

 

[johnnybarfield]

Well my birds are a month old now and they are very precious. I am down to 11 birds. I lost one about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I was changing them from one tote to another and one flew away. I never saw it again.. I am thinking very seriously about getting more. Should I wait or go for it. It is mid September now. I have them out in a pen, off the ground. They seem to be contented.