Red Light in Coturnix Brooder! So necessary!

[m1chelle1]

Hello BYC fam,

So I finally decided to take the leap and hatch me some coturnix babies! What a fun time.
On to the point of this post. Idk if everyone else has had this experience, but I just want to document my findings on here for the world and other novice quail people to see. My quail are very very light sensitive. I have them in the brooder with a RED light. And it is 100% necessary! While they were hatching, and just starting to walk around in the incubator, whenever I would turn on the natural white light in my bathroom- BOOM! explosion of activity right away, and serious aggression towards other chicks would occur. Then id turn it off and they would immediately calm down. This happened multiple times when they were in the incubator, until! I got the red light switched on in the brooder, and they do very well with that light. It would be- white light on. GO CRAZY! ATTACK! ATTACK!!! White light off, I'm ok, you're ok. were all ok. They have been in the brooder with the red light for days now, and calm as can be. Not easily startled unless I sneak up on them. Very calm, very well behaved. Until I turn the regular white light on in my bathroom! Ive never quite seen anything like this before. I know in the chicken community we have this constant debate and back and forth about red light white light in brooder. Im not necessary for any light color myself for chickens. But I've always had a red light, and its been fine, and I'm really glad I had it for my quail!! WOOHH!!
I had read before I hatched these little girls out, that game birds do need a red lamp, but I didn't really realize the difference. I guarantee id have dead babies in there if I kept them on the white light. I have no doubt. Would love to hear y'alls experience.
Happy Hatching

M

 

[Nabiki]

I use a reptile heat lamp. No light at all. That way they can have regular day/night cycles.

 

[SpotTheCat]

I use a heat plate with no lights, Because it is safer then a heat lamp as well as giving them a day and night cycle.

 

[Pandaisy]

I also use a heat plate, never had to deal with aggressive chicks. They go to sleep when the sun goes down and get up when morning comes.

 

[m1chelle1]

I use a reptile heat lamp. No light at all. That way they can have regular day/night cycles.

thats a great idea. yeah, I have to use some color light in that room, its too dark, I wouldn't be able to see otherwise! so red it is, for now. ill have to look into the reptile lamps, I know they are safer and such. my heat lamp does have the safety cover which is better than nothing, I suppose. But I know fire danger wise no lit heat lamp is super safe

 

[m1chelle1]

I also use a heat plate, never had to deal with aggressive chicks. They go to sleep when the sun goes down and get up when morning comes.

that is nice. all mine do is sleep eat drink poop, sleep eat drink poop, repeat. all day
I'm concerned that natural light would also trigger their aggression, but I'm going to check on that soon once I feel they are strong enough to withstand some potential bullying by my aggressive chicks! we shall see. I mean, the aggression can't last forever... I think. here's to hoping