Observations on First Bobwhite Hatch

[Manchac Basin]

This is my first hatch. Here's a few things observations; I got less than a 50% hatch on my shipped eggs. I sort of expect it. One bird came out with extreme spraddle leg. The vast majority hatched on the 23rd day. An additional 5 or so straggled along in their hatch on the 24th and early morning 25th day. The chicks seem pretty fragile at first and definitely needed about 100 Fahrenheit to stay alert. One bird in particular practically ran out of the egg. The rest wobbled a bit. The chicks seemed slow at feeding at first. I started adding electrolytes in water. I crushed game bird starter to powder, mixed with warm water, electrolytes and a light shot of table sugar to make a soup. They took this. I tried freeze dried meal mealworms and they didn't take this too eagerly, so I caught some live spring flies and the chicks went ballistic for these. They love live insects. Gave small live crickets and they love those too. Finally, I tried rehydrated mealworms and they ate these.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

Thankyou for posting this! I bought bobs at day old with great success and now I have snowflake bobwhite eggs in the incubator. I have hatched lots of coturnix eggs but this is my first bob run! I am comfortable with the babies once they hatch its the incubation process that is scaring me...