Quail chicks dying?

[OklahomaRose]

I'm sorry I'm really new to quail (this is my first experience ever). I just picked up 15 chicks today (they're about 1-1 1/2 wks old) from a local woman. 2 were dead by the time I got home but I hadn't really looked in the shoebox sized box very well when I picked them up because they tried to fly out. The woman had traveled 2 1/2 hours to meet me and I had to travel over a half hour home. I figured the two may have gotten trampled to death. I put them in a bigger container with heat, food and water. I literally watched them for hours and they seemed fine, eating, drinking and sleeping. Then we left for dinner and came back (gone about 30 minutes max) and one of the chicks is dead. It's sprawled all out with it's eyes open. I ground up the food smaller, there's rocks in the water, they have plenty of space and aren't acting like the temp in the box is bad (not huddling or spreading way out).

A few have slept odd, but they weren't the ones that died. One was laying on it's back and another curled in a ball but I watched them and they later got up and acted fine. I've never seen chicken chicks do that so I'm not sure if it is normal.

Are they dying from stress? Is there anything I can do for them? Anything I can check? The ones had died had partial feathers and were bald looking on their head. I didn't know if that meant anything. They were also all white ones that died but I didn't notice the others picking on them. TIA

 

[Rashid100]

Maybe stress. Make sure the Heat is proper. Also try adding electrolytes to their water. Sav a chick is pretty reliable

 

[OklahomaRose]

Okay, so it occurred to me that they're clearly different ages because some are starting to feather and some are only fuzz. The ones that have died were slightly feathered.So I lowered the temp a little more to about 93-92. I also moved the water closer to the corner where they all seem to be staying and they seemed to drink more. Hoping that helps

 

[Fat Daddy]

Your chicks are likely suffering from the stress of the trip. The chill from leaving their brooder and being in a cold shoe box so long. And so many being in a small area for 3 hrs so.... Thats alot of stress for a chick....At two days you can see the tips of wing feathers coming in on a cot. At a week and a half the wings are mostly feathered. it sounds like you might be right about two different hatches and ages... The bald spots are aggression that likely happened on the way home from the be'n in the shoe box so close. That should end when you gave them more room. I wouldnt drop the temp in the brooder, little warm they can go to the far end. They get cold when already stressed and they die.... And at the end of the day, sometimes no matter what you do, they just die ... Sucks but it happens.... Keep'em fed and warm is all you can do.... Good luck. Bill

 

[victor miller]

make sure they are not all bunched up in corner .some will die that way a round brooder is best that way they do not bunch up in corners and die . gook luck

 

[dc3085]

A round brooder won't stop piling, they'll pile in the middle of the floor if they're cold enough.