Quail chicks can’t walk and then die.

[Nabiki]

Definitely keep a warm and a cool side. That lets them choose a comfortable temperature for themselves.

Is there a chance you could send one that died to a necropsy lab? They're not that expensive.

https://www.heritageacresmarket.com/poultry-necropsy-labs/

 

[IceDad]

I never heard of a necropsy lab. That’s actually a good idea. Thank You!

 

[ChopDunkSplit]

Ok guys, I put a thermometer at the bottom of the sink I have the chicks in. I moved it to each corner of the sink and let it sit for 10 minutes. The warmest corner is 84F and the coldest is 79F.
Is that too hot or too cold?

Thats about 20 degrees below what you need it to be. You need it around 100°F for at least the 1st week. My apologies for not mentioning that in my 1st reply. Being too cold is just as fatal as too hot for newly hatched chicks. They cant hardly produce or retain their own body heat until that final coat begins to come in, so that heat source from light is the most critical as well as most important part of your Brooder setup, hands down.
IF you look online, you will probably read, it needs to be 100° 1st week, 95° 2nd week, and continue to reduce 5 degrees each week that passes. I personally do not do that. My brooder's lamps face straight down, no angles. I keep the temperature between 105°-110° at bedding surface directly under the lamp and it stays at this position until 4th-5th week. Never had a fatality from this method either but, Why? You may ask.
My answer(s):
Reason#1 I have plenty of shaded area for them to escape to.

Reason#2 It keeps the chicks moving, scratching, and pecking for food ultimately making for healthier more active chicks. If you reduce heat, the chicks are more prone to become lethargic (from my experience)

Reason#3 for emergency warm ups, best example is chicks are clumsy. They trip, fall and also they are assholes for lack of better term, Haha always walking/climbing over each other like the other isnt even there. Well, all these, more times than you can believe will happen in and around their water source, rendering them soaked from head to toe. Very dangerous, not only because of the cold but the wetness makes the chick's most sensitive and private parts stick out like glowing beacons for others to peck at... had more chicks die from this type of pecking alone than all other causes of death added together and it only take a few minutes. Basically, quick drying times for the chicks when they are left alone.

Hope this helps!

 

[Ram13]

Sorry for the late reply. They are probably not drinking water. Every once in a while I'll get a couple when I hatch that you just can't get to drink water and this is how it goes they walk funny then you see them on their sides then they're dead cause the other ones run right over them.

 

[IceDad]

Sorry for the late reply. They are probably not drinking water. Every once in a while I'll get a couple when I hatch that you just can't get to drink water and this is how it goes they walk funny then you see them on their sides then they're dead cause the other ones run right over them.

Thank you for the input. I was thinking the same thing after I read that sometimes they don’t know how to eat or drink. I have started to pick them up throughout the day and set them by their food and water. It seemed to help with the new chick that hatched a few days ago. I would think they would learn from the other birds in their but it seems like that doesn’t matter to some.