Odd Coturnix Quail questions

[vall]

I have jumbo eggs. The largest I have right now is 17.5g, 1 3/16" wide, 1 6/16" long. I'd expect most to be a little smaller, 14g+ is considered jumbo.

 

[Dandichook]

Thanks for the info!

I would have edited my original post, but I cannot. Alas.

New question for you quail gurus!

How many coturnix quail chicks do you brood under your heat plates? Can you please post number of quail and the size of your heat plate?

All the listings for the heat plates tell you the dimensions of their heat plate and how many chicken chicks should fit under one, but I have never seen a quail chick in person and have no clue how much space they need compared to chicken chicks (which I have also never brooded). Trying to figure out which brooder heat plate to pick up.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Nabiki]

Thanks for the info!

I would have edited my original post, but I cannot. Alas.

New question for you quail gurus!

How many coturnix quail chicks do you brood under your heat plates? Can you please post number of quail and the size of your heat plate?

All the listings for the heat plates tell you the dimensions of their heat plate and how many chicken chicks should fit under one, but I have never seen a quail chick in person and have no clue how much space they need compared to chicken chicks (which I have also never brooded). Trying to figure out which brooder heat plate to pick up.

Thanks for your help!

I use reptile bulbs in heat lamps. I don't like the idea of a brooder plate because I can't see the chicks, and believe me, they are geniuses at finding dumb ways to die.

 

[Dandichook]

I use reptile bulbs in heat lamps. I don't like the idea of a brooder plate because I can't see the chicks, and believe me, they are geniuses at finding dumb ways to die.

Thanks for the quick response! Do you use the ceramic emitters? I was concerned about using those because of how hot they get. The chicks will be inside our house and will be in one of those zippered pop-up brooders made of canvas. In your opinion, would the heat lamp be hot enough to damage the canvas brooder?

 

[Nabiki]

Thanks for the quick response! Do you use the ceramic emitters? I was concerned about using those because of how hot they get. The chicks will be inside our house and will be in one of those zippered pop-up brooders made of canvas. In your opinion, would the heat lamp be hot enough to damage the canvas brooder?

Make sure it doesn't touch the sides. I use plastic tubs for brooders, and I keep the heat lamp from touching it.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Thanks for the info!

I would have edited my original post, but I cannot. Alas.

New question for you quail gurus!

How many coturnix quail chicks do you brood under your heat plates? Can you please post number of quail and the size of your heat plate?

All the listings for the heat plates tell you the dimensions of their heat plate and how many chicken chicks should fit under one, but I have never seen a quail chick in person and have no clue how much space they need compared to chicken chicks (which I have also never brooded). Trying to figure out which brooder heat plate to pick up.

Thanks for your help!

This is the largest of my heat plates, I have a few.

It says 35 chicken chicks, but I don’t believe that. I have brooded as much as 13 chicken chicks under it, and there was still space for more.

I’ve only brooded 11 quail under it, but there was still lots more space. I would definitely not try and stuff 35 under there. 15 at most would be my personal limit.


https://www.brinsea.com/p-620-ecoglow-safety-1200-chick-brooder.aspx

 

[Dandichook]

Make sure it doesn't touch the sides. I use plastic tubs for brooders, and I keep the heat lamp from touching it.

I'll see if I can make it work--the brooder has a zip top on it at 19 inches high, so I'm not sure if I can figure out a way to safely mount it without it either being immediately over the mesh and canvas top or inside the brooder itself, which I'll admit makes me nervous!

This is the largest of my heat plates, I have a few.

It says 35 chicken chicks, but I don’t believe that. I have brooded as much as 13 chicken chicks under it, and there was still space for more.

I’ve only brooded 11 quail under it, but there was still lots more space. I would definitely not try and stuff 35 under there. 15 at most would be my personal limit.


https://www.brinsea.com/p-620-ecoglow-safety-1200-chick-brooder.aspx

Thanks for the info! It seems most of the brooder plates are optimistic about how many chicken chicks they can fit.

 

[Whiskybear]

I’m guessing you got the set? I started with that last

I'll see if I can make it work--the brooder has a zip top on it at 19 inches high, so I'm not sure if I can figure out a way to safely mount it without it either being immediately over the mesh and canvas top or inside the brooder itself, which I'll admit makes me nervous!


Thanks for the info! It seems most of the brooder plates are optimistic about how many chicken chicks they can fit.

year. The brooder you described with a black brooder plate, supports form a pyramid at top, about 14-16”? Raised my first brood, 25 jumbo coturnix chicks with it. They had room to spare for the first week before I moved them to a 50 gallon plastic bin. In those, I use 100watt ceramic heat nodes on a dimmer switch to control temp. A thermometer laying underneath it. Hope this experience helps.

 

[Dandichook]

I’m guessing you got the set? I started with that last

year. The brooder you described with a black brooder plate, supports form a pyramid at top, about 14-16”? Raised my first brood, 25 jumbo coturnix chicks with it. They had room to spare for the first week before I moved them to a 50 gallon plastic bin. In those, I use 100watt ceramic heat nodes on a dimmer switch to control temp. A thermometer laying underneath it. Hope this experience helps.

I didn't get a set, no, it's just a stand-alone brooder. Unsure if I'm allowed to link or not--if not, sorry and I'll remove the link--but here's the product:
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Baby-Chick-Supplies/Hen-Pen-Pop-Up-Brooder-p3358.aspx

We decided to go this route because we expect to mostly be brooding in our house for lack of other options and because when it's not in use, it can flat-pack and vanish. Plenty of space for our needs, too. (Flat packing is important for us--space is at a premium!)

If we move them to plastic totes at some point then I don't have an issue with heat lamps as long as they don't touch fabric. I used a heat lamp on my snake for years without a problem, it just makes me anxious around fabric.

 

[Dandichook]

New question! Yet another feed question. I know these forums are littered with them...

I've had a look at Kiki's nutrition requirements and feed comparison charts, and used those to compare feed available in my local TSC.

They have Purina 30% Starter Gamebird and Turkey Starter. It's at $21.49/40lb bag.

The only other Gamebird focused feed they carry are also Purina--a 12.5% "maintenance" feed and a Flight Conditioner at 19% protein. No detailed analysis is listed for the Flight Conditioner, which I think is the only real option of the two given the protein levels, but 19% is a little lower than I'd like. I also didn't find it in Kiki's analysis, so I don't know how it is on calcium or other nutrients either.

Furthermore, at $28 for a 50lb bag, that seems expensive, although I could be way wrong.

I have called another local feed store to see if they could order something in, and won't hear back until Monday.

My questions are as follows:

I'm sure the 30% is fine for chicks, though I was originally hoping for something in the 25-28% range. Will the higher protein be a problem? And is that price reasonable for it?

Second, if I have no other choice than the 19% from TSC, is that price reasonable? Should I consider supplementing it in any way to get the protein closer to 20-22%(which I've seen is ideal for adults/layers)?

Third, if I go with the 19% "flight Conditioner", does anyone know the calcium content in that? I assume I'll need to supplement it for the laying hens. I have a good supply of aragonite already on hand for that which will be small enough for tiny quail beaks, anything wrong with that in its own dish?

Thanks!!


Edit with one more question.

We're running a test on our incubator with some grocery store quail eggs (we got lucky to find some!). The turner is turning them, but it's a roller style turner and mostly they roll nicely along their sides, but occasionally one of the short/squat shaped ones flips around to roll end over end. Will that negatively impact incubation and hatching?