Water and food help quails

[Tenesexx]

I have 13 chicks and anytime I out bowls of water with marbles they just go on top and start burrowing spilling water everywhere and throwing their pine shavings in the water and in 2 minutes they have just shaving left in their bowl what can I do so I dont have to keep cleaning the bowls and the food they burrow that too to the point they cant find and nibble on the shaving please help

 

[sealer39]

Pine shavings are good for drying out poop but they are a pain for the reasons you described. You could take out the pine shavings and use drawer liner instead until they get a bit older.

 

[007Sean]

Try raising the waterers and feeders above the shavings, just an 1" or two will be sufficient to keep most of the shavings out of the water or feed.

 

[sealer39]

A roll of masking tape works well for that.

 

[sniper338]

For baby quail... no pine shavings. Put down paper towels. A baby chick/quail waterer works best where they cant get into the water... it has a thin rim that hols the water, not the full size like a chicken waterer. Scatter feed, or put in a pile on top of the paper towls. Easy.. keep em warm. Brood them like this for a few weeks. Once to size put em in a cage. I never used pine shavings with quail.

 

[JaeG]

I've had a Button quail get a slipped tendon on paper towels (the hen abandoned her babies and, having to throw together a brooder I didn't know any better). Paper towels are too slippery and quail poop like there's no tomorrow so it gets messy really quickly. I'd rather put up with changing their water numerous times a day than risk leg issues again. But raise the waterer to stop them burying it and having water soak all through the bedding. You can raise their food bowl up as well to try and keep it relatively shaving free. I've used straw for quail as well before but you still need to elevate the food and water to reduce the amount of crud they manage to track and flap in there.

 

[mdees88]

Pine shavings are fine, don't replace them. Go to tractor supply and get a quail water. They come in quart and gallon sizes. They can't drown in them so you don't need marbles. Clear a hole in the shavings and place a piece of wood or something that raises the waterer slightly above the shavings. For food place a paper towel down over the shavings and sprinkle their food on top..... then when they get bigger use a chicken feeder.