Quail and dustbathing ? They eat their bath mix.

[Buttercup Chillin]

I have the now 74 Quail that hatched a week ago. Friday afternoon I put them in the grow out cage outside. I needed full use of that bathroom and they needed more room. I also, didn't want them to have to readjust to the outside 100 degree day time temp. They are doing fine. They have a light for evenings once I see the temp drop to 88, I turn it on.

DH went to Home Depot and found pet barrier, wide roll of plastic matting like thing with 1/8" holes or so. Cut it to cage size to put over the wire floor so little toes didn't fall through. Works great. Cut out 2 pieces and rotate them, just hose it off and let dry or hang wet on front of cage (south side) in heat of day to help cool them.

Don't know if I have a problem though with DUST BATHING. I mixed play sand and DE half and half, put it in a kitty dish.. They bathed that first day and it was enjoyed by all for a while. Then one started eating it. Within an hour every bit of granual was gone.

Is it OK for them to eat their dustbath?
Can I give them another dish of mix?

They are on 30% Purina Game Bird Chow (starter) for crying out loud. Do they need the sand for extra grit?
I swear they doubled in size since I put them out there 40 hours ago, that's all its been.

 

[spikennipper]

I would wait until they are a little older before you allow them to dust bath then they will know what to eat and what to not eat

filling themselves up with sand can't be a good thing! they don't need grit at this age on starter feed, once they are fully feathered the sand will be useful for them to bath in and they should be less likely to gorge on it.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

That's what I was thinking also, why I haven't given them more. But with bugs and squitters I figured they needed to dustbath. I was shocked they ate it.

They are still eating like the little marbles with mouths that they are, but they ate the sand when it was real hot, they eat most of the food in the cool of the evening. I didn't turn their light on untill 8:30 basically at dusk last night cause it was still 89 degrees in their cage. This morning the food was gone. They eat a 3# coffee can of feed a day, that I still crumble smaller for them.