OMG...I'm a quail killer! What am I doing wrong!

[PeepsInc]

Quail are ruff to get going. I watered mine with milk jug lids. Yea, thats a pain in the butt. You have to fill them like 5 times a day, but they don't get wet. I only use nice flat news paper for any chick bedding.

 

[aprophet]

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I tried a couple of small lids like that but they ran through everything I tried until I used the chick waterers

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/quail_waterers.html I used the small one our local feed store had them

 

[pamm]

Hi,

If your chick starter was medicated could it have been poisonous to your quail? I was told that the medicated chick starter was poison to other birds.

My thoughts are with you, and just remember that even though their life was short, your little birds got to be born and loved by you, something so precious ...so many animals (and humans!) never do experience in a lifetime!

Pamm

 

[possumhunter]

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I wondered if that could have been the problem...but I really don't think they ate much at all, it was only in there for about an hour until I remembered and pulled it out and changed to gamebird. I really think it was the bedding/chicks getting wet. They were even acting cold (trying to pile in the corner). I should have picked up on it sooner, but they went down so fast. It happened within 20 minutes...they started dropping.

 

[worldling]

The single best investment anyone can make...if you are raising quail in the coturnix or bobwhite weight class is a game chick water base. Wicking water into the litter is another story. That story will end soon for me if I manage to complete my zero litter brooder model.
Coturnix don't generally...up and die in the brooder. They can commit suicide, or be crushed to death by a stupid human (Me), but generally speaking, they are the most brooder friendly quail species on the face of the planet.

 

[pascopol]

possumhunter

You are a dangerous individual.

Quails are not easy to kill.

LOL

 

[possumhunter]

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LOL...I had no problems the first time I raised them...I even had a surprise bobwhite that was mixed in with the batch that I didn't know about and it survived till adulthood (which I guess its pretty good odds, considering how they can be). But I was shocked that I lost so many with this batch.

I do have a quail waterer for my bigger birds, I just never thought to use it for the babies, because I figure they could still drown in there.

Lesson learned...the hard way. No more bedding the first week. And I'm going to get another quail waterer for the chicks.

 

[possumhunter]

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And I AM dangerous, lol...I choose my screen name shortly after bludgeoning a possum to death that managed to sneak into my coop and kill my favorite roo. I think I even freaked my husband out with that episode

 

[newnanchic]

O.K. I have a question . We just bought quail they are now 12 days old and I have only lost 3 out of 30 so I am kinda proud of that. I do that papre towel for the flooring , they arre still in my basement.. THEY ARE MESSY !!!! I ahve a chciken water that holds a quart jar with marbles in it and they have light on them. When can these messy buggers go to an outside box witha light of course these are jumbo brown ( I think) , Thanks

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

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They are messy! I moved mine out into a deep water trough today in the barn, with a secure cover, inside a coop, with a red heat lamp. I don't usually bother with a brooder thermometer, but I put one in with these guys and have been raising it a bit at a time until I see a temp I like