When can I stop the light in the brooder?

[smallbluejellybean]

Hi,
I am in Australia, the weather is mild, when can I stop with the heating light in the brooder?
Also can a week older chicks be put in the aviary with younger chicks and their mothers. No mature males in there?
Photo's of the older chicks in the brooder.

And I finally got a shot of my single silver chick in my aviary.

 

[JJMR794]

Just drop them 3- 5 degrees (farenhiet) a week til they are at ambient temperature. they feather out quickly, but quail are way more heat loving than most other speces and get cold as babies easily. So i wouldnt (and dont) rush it. once you start getting close to ambient temp turn the light off and watch them for a while--- Do they huddle? Or do they just go on about their business? If they huddle they arent ready yet...

 

[peewee]

I would follow JJs advice. I have done this with all my babies and have not had a problem. I just wanted to say sweet babies!!

 

[smallbluejellybean]

Hi JJ and Peewee,
Yes they do huddle, but they do this to sleep, I don't think its a heat issue as they do it went it is as hot as hell out there. I think its more a flock thing, as they didn't have mothers. Most of their bodies are now covered with feathers. They are also half the size of the adults. That is why I asked if they could be put in with the others in the aviary?
I think it would be better for them in the heat to be somewhere bigger to cool down. They were all huddled together yesterday in the heat and they were panting. I think this is because they are in an aquarium and the air doesn't circulate. With the aviary I have a huge fan circulating the air.
Really what I am saying is "Would the mothers attack the bigger chicks?"
Please help with that?

 

[chickenma]

I don't think you need a light anymore.
They look pretty feather out already. I only use the light the first week and after that I switch it of. If the body is covered with feather they will stay warm.
I use a higher protein for my quails 30% and they feather out pretty quick and grow pretty fast too.
They are together and will huddle if they are cold but as long as they eat they will be fine.

If the age and size different is not big the quails can be put together but if there is a huge size different the big birds will peck on the newcomers, females, males all do this.

 

[xxSonja]

Martha, how come your silvers look so much lighter than mine!?

Mine was bright yellow as a chick, and is now a darkish silver/grey.. maybe its just the lighting in the photo...

I took constant heat of my chicks in week two, and only occasionally flicked the light back on over the next week if it dropped below 28 degrees.

Sorry i cant help with the mixing the chicks in with the hens & babies, i havent needed to do that yet.