Well, I got through the first night without any deaths

[Mumpy]

Picked up 100 Bobwhite Quail Chicks last night that were just a few hours old and brought them home to the Brooder. This is my first time EVER Brooding anything, let alone chicks that are the size of my thumb and were only a few hours old.

So, I got up last night about 3am to check on them and they were doing great, this morning I refilled their water dishes (with river rocks in them) scattered some more food on the shop towels and headed to work.

I KNOW I'm going to lose a chick here and there, I was scared that I'd wake up this morning and there would be only a handful alive, haha, thank goodness that didn't happen!

Any tips or advice to get me through these first few days?

 

[dc3085]

Red light on the brooder is a must and if you notice them being too aggressive you can "cool em down" by just killing the light for a few minutes. Makes them need each other for warmth so they stop fighting.

Good Luck!

 

[Mumpy]

Oh I LOVE That tip!

Thank you!

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Oh I LOVE That tip!

Thank you!

X2! As soon as my sweet little quail babies were all in the brooder together they started grabbing some of the others by their little wings and toes and dragging them around the brooder box. I was surprised none of them were killed! All I could think of are those "cute" little aliens from Galaxy Quest (cult comedy classic starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman) that seemed all sweet and cuddly, then suddenly flashed a mouth full of nasty teeth, jumped on one of their own and just ripped it to pieces.

 

[Dragons4u]

Grignak, Grignak, Grignak!

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Grignak, Grignak, Grignak!

 

[Dragons4u]

"I can handle this pig lizard."

"I don't think Grignak is the pig lizard."

 

[Quail Jailer]

Grignak, Grignak, Grignak!

"I can handle this pig lizard."

"I don't think Grignak is the pig lizard."

 

[ChickenLegs13]

My lectric hen is inside the house, so when the quail hatch they go straight to a tote next to it where I brood them for several days until they start to stink, then outside they go to wire bottom cages (that I don't have to clean) to be brooded & raised for their date with the frying pan. If they live through the first several days then I rest assured almost all of them will survive.
1 tip I got for you, when you water them use warm water in the waterer.

 

[Mumpy]

1 tip I got for you, when you water them use warm water in the waterer.

Haven't been doing that, will definitely do that now though.

So an update, 110 Chicks and I had to put one down, hopefully the rest do well.