Quail Chicks Randomly Dying

[Kiki]

I think that's the same heat plate I had for a day before I threw it in the trash. It was getting WAY too hot.

I'd use a regular light bulb on a clippy lamp if I were you. It's what I use. I have 3 day old quail now with just a regular old school light bulb keeping them warm.
I don't think that feed would kill them as quickly as they are dying. I think the heat plate is the problem.

 

[CoCovey]

I used it last year and had great success. I’m not sure what is happening but when I get back I might try that out. Thank you so much

 

[CoCovey]

Sadly 2 more passed away. Fortunately the remaining 5 have survived a night without casualties and I think they are all good. Eating amazingly, drinking, bouncing around BUT I noticed something really strange. On the three oldest chicks their eyes are starting to close up and their skin seems to be flaking. They don’t seem too distressed by the mat and, as I mentioned, I have raised many chicks like this with really good success. I took away the eggs and tuna oil and I got some GameBird starter which they absolutely love. That being said I haven’t had quail for long and I’m well aware there are some absolute pros on this forum. If you guys think it’s the mat I’ll see if I can get a heat lamp. All help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nabiki]

Sadly 2 more passed away. Fortunately the remaining 5 have survived a night without casualties and I think they are all good. Eating amazingly, drinking, bouncing around BUT I noticed something really strange. On the three oldest chicks their eyes are starting to close up and their skin seems to be flaking. They don’t seem too distressed by the mat and, as I mentioned, I have raised many chicks like this with really good success. I took away the eggs and tuna oil and I got some GameBird starter which they absolutely love. That being said I haven’t had quail for long and I’m well aware there are some absolute pros on this forum. If you guys think it’s the mat I’ll see if I can get a heat lamp. All help will be greatly appreciated.View attachment 3677312

The heat plate and the mat might not be the reason, but I've seen horrible pictures of chicks with missing and necrotic toes due to heat mats, and the plate keeps you from seeing what's going on in the brooder.

The picture you posted looks like the chick's back is touching the heat plate and causing burns.

Edit: The last time you used the heat mat and plate, did you happen to have a larger brooder? This one looks small enough that they can't get out of the heat if it's too hot. The way you found them, all stretched out, implies that they died from being too hot to me. Of course, I don't know what the actual temps are, and I'm not a vet.

 

[CoCovey]

The brooder size is as per usual but I feel like you are definitely into something. I actually went through the shed and found a lamp with a snake on it so maybe that will work? Would you know what is cause if the eye issues?

Edit: I took a better look at the chicks and it almost seems like when lizards or snakes shed their skin??!! I have added the lamp but they look pretty cold. Upon inspection it’s relatively warm but the lamp itself is sizzling. I’ll give it a few minutes to warm up even more but this hatch has been a really weird experience.

 

[Nabiki]

The brooder size is as per usual but I feel like you are definitely into something. I actually went through the shed and found a lamp with a snake on it so maybe that will work? Would you know what is cause if the eye issues?

Edit: I took a better look at the chicks and it almost seems like when lizards or snakes shed their skin??!! I have added the lamp but they look pretty cold. Upon inspection it’s relatively warm but the lamp itself is sizzling. I’ll give it a few minutes to warm up even more but this hatch has been a really weird experience.

I'm not sure about the eyes, but they will close them if they're not feeling well, and sometimes they crust up a bit.

The shed skin look really sounds like a first degree burn. Those peel. Think about minor burns from the stove or sunburn.

If you have a thermometer, put it below the heat lamp and see what it says. If the chicks still act cold in 30 more minutes or so, you might try lowering the lamp a bit closer to the chicks.

 

[CoCovey]

They are loving the lamp but the skin is peeling all over there under their wings, neck and upper back. I don’t think they would have been burnt all over like that.

 

[Nabiki]

Do you have more pictures of the peeling chicks? That sounds really odd unless they were getting burns from the matt as well.

Did you get them the gamebird/turkey starter? I've never seen feed cause those kinds of symptoms, but it doesn't hurt to eliminate any known problems.

You might try adding a bit of Nutri-Drench to their water to give them an extra boost while they're healing.