Quail Imprinting

[SmithsCoop41]

Ok, y'all. I incubated (2) quail eggs, and only one made it. My question is: Can a baby quail imprint and then change his behavior that he was displaying prior to imprinting? I was the first thing this chick seen, and yesterday he/she wanted to be next to me, etc. It is in a brooder by itself because my other chicks (2-wk olds) are too big to put with him/her. So, last night when I went to bed, it chirped for awhile, I'm assuming for me, but now this morning it kinda acted like it wanted to refrain from previous behavior??? I've heard that once a chick imprints, it's irriversable? Any info?

 

[Nabiki]

Are you talking about coturnix quail?

I have never had a coturnix quail imprint on me, despite my hovering around the incubator as they hatch and being the one to move them to the brooder. Newly hatched chicks are more likely to come running towards my hand rather than away, but that behaviour usually stops after about three days.

I would try to get your lone chick a companion as soon as possible, but in the meantime you might try a mirror and a small stuffed animal. They are social and need company.

 

[SmithsCoop41]

Are you talking about coturnix quail?

I have never had a coturnix quail imprint on me, despite my hovering around the incubator as they hatch and being the one to move them to the brooder. Newly hatched chicks are more likely to come running towards my hand rather than away, but that behaviour usually stops after about three days.

I would try to get your lone chick a companion as soon as possible, but in the meantime you might try a mirror and a small stuffed animal. They are social and need company.

I'm sorry, I meant to put the breed in the post. It's a bobwhite quail chick. He hatched on Saturday. I was the first thing he seen, due to me having to help him a little. I know you're not supposed to help them, but I waited a little while to see if he could do it on his own, he pipped it but just couldn't seem to do much more. He was a little weak legged when he first hatched, but with a little time, he's doing great now. Never would've known he had a rough start if you didn't know he had help. He seemed to just want to snuggle with me last night, that's with me trying to get him to eat with food in front of him and everything. He did drink some water, but the food, he was a little slower with that. He's eating and drinking now and walking with no problem, except moving a little too fast LOL. I kept coming to his brooder off and on all evening yesterday, would stay a few minutes at a time and talk to him and pet him, etc. And he would act like he was trying to get on/under my hand, like he wanted me. So, sadly I finally went to bed, and he was chirping for me for awhile. This morning he was kind of different, a bit more like he was okay with being in the brooder, and not with me. I'm just wondering now whether or not he actually imprinted on me because I was literally the first moving thing he seen straight out of the egg. Which I will admit, was kinda cool thinking he may have, but I am aware that imprinting on a human is not necessarily good, especially with having to learn how to forage, communicate with other chicks later on, etc that he/she would definitely learn from natural mother. I just want him/her to have the best life it can have, especially since it had such a rough start. I told my MIL I will probably never sell him or whatnot, because he/she is special to me. That's why I incubate them to begin with, to get inventory up to make extra income on the side, but, I will probably always have his/her sweet little self.

 

[Nabiki]

If you can't get any other chicks, I would still go the mirror and stuffed animal route. It's pretty normal for a lonely chick to kick up a fuss.

 

[SmithsCoop41]

If you can't get any other chicks, I would still go the mirror and stuffed animal route. It's pretty normal for a lonely chick to kick up a fuss.

Well, speaking on reflections, I've got him in an old aquarium and it shows reflections. Seen that last night. Would that be okay?, or do I need something better? I've got a ceramic chick that I got from dollar general, and I started to use that, but I'm scared it would fall over and hurt him/her, Cause it's got metal as it's legs, and it's covered in like a irridescent glitter, so that wouldn't be good. I may can go and get like one of those plain ceramic chicks like you find in the home section at DG, one that doesn't have metal legs or glitter. I think that would work better. Those kind that look like they're laying on the ground (no legs).

 

[Nabiki]

You want a full reflection that your chick can interact with like another chick, not a ghostly image. The stuffed animal should be something soft that it can cuddle up with. It doesn't have to look like a bird.

 

[SmithsCoop41]

You want a full reflection that your chick can interact with like another chick, not a ghostly image. The stuffed animal should be something soft that it can cuddle up with. It doesn't have to look like a bird.

Ok thank you for your help.