When can I switch Bobwhites from drown-proof waterer to a regular one?

[grouse]

I have 24 Bobwhite chicks that are are all 1 month old as of today. I've been using a drown-proof quail waterer with a very narrow opening at the bottom rim in their brooder so they wouldn't get wet or drown in it. However, they've been kicking up all their food into it so it requires changing fairly often and I'm not sure how easily they can drink from it now that they're bigger. Is it alright to switch them to a regular waterer at this point? Or would they still run the risk of drowning or getting too wet and dying from hypothermia at one month old?
Thanks

 

[Dogfish]

I would think once they hit 2 weeks or more you could switch over.

 

[Rebel Rooster]

2 weeks is when I swap it out... at 1 month, they are good to go for the bigger waterer...

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
ADD ANOTHER 6 WKS TO YOUR ESTIMATE.

BOBS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO HYPOTHERMIA UNTIL 8- 10 WKS OLD. BESIDES IF THEY ARE GETTING THE SMALL TROUGH DIRTY A LARGER MORE OPEN TROUGH WILL JUST BE WORSE. A GOOD HELP WITH THIS IS TO USE THE FEEDER STICKS WITH LIDS AND OVAL ACCESS HOLES FOR THE BIRDS TO REACH THROUGH AND EAT FROM--- THEY CANT GET IN THERE AND SCRATCH THE FOOD OUT EASILY.

 

[grouse]

Would a feeder like this also serve as an acceptable waterer for the quail? I'm thinking they could just dip their heads in through the holes to get to the water on the bottom but would also not be able to fall in or get too wet from it. I'll be getting one of these as a feeder for sure (to stop them from scratching the food everywhere) but if I could use another one as a waterer too that would be even better.

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

Quote:
The water would overflow, so I think that answer is no.

 

[turkaholic]

I have placed small smooth stones in the waterer trough. This allows for more access with the wider trough, but shallow enough they don't get soaked.

 

[resthavenfarms]

No don't use that feeder, having lost too many quail to drowning, I just don't think that would work well for the little dummies.

I usually switched them over at a month old from the tiny waterer.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
THE ONLY WAY THIS WILL HOLD WATER IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT IN THE SHALLOW PAN--- IF YOU TRY TO PUT WATER IN THE JAR IT WILL MERELY POUR OUT THE HOLES IN THE BOTTOM. AS FAR AS FEEDER IT IS ADEQUATE BUT COMES WITH PROBLEMS--- SPECIFICALLY YOU WILL WALK BY YOUR BROODER AT LEAST ONCE TO OBSERVE THE FACT THAT YOU NOW HAVE "CANNED QUAIL" YEP THATS RIGHT, CANNED QUAIL AS IN AT LEAST 1 OF THE LIL BOOGERS WILL SOMEHOW GET IN THERE AND GET TRAPPED--- HE'LL BE RACING AROUND IN MAD CIRCLES CHIRPING (EVER SO MUTEDLY

) FOR ALL HE'S WORTH LOOKING FOR THE DOOR IN A MAD PANIC--- IT'S HILLARIOUS TO SEE, UNTIL YOU HAVE TO GET HIM OUT AND IT'S STILL HALF FULL OF FEED..... GETS LESS AMUSING WITH EACH RE-OCCURANCE. THE STICK FEEDERS WORK MUCH BETTER.... EVEN THO THEY GET INSIDE ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS LOOK UP TO FIND A WAY OUT, AND EVEN IF YOU MUST EXTRICATE THEM FROM IT ITS EASILY DONE WITHOUT DUMPING FEED.

GIVEN THE PROPENSITY FOR CANNED QUAIL WITH DRY FEED I WOULDNT EVER DREAM OF EVEN TRYING IT AS A WATERER! BELEIVE ME QUAIL DO NOT SWIM AT THIS AGE!

 

[_Randall_]

This: http://www.southernstates.com/catalog/p-4985-little-giant-730qt-quail-waterer-base-f690.aspx is all you need.......from a few hours old...........up until it's time to go to the big-bird pen. I'm not gonna say it's "impossible" for a chick to get off in the tiny little water trough, but I've raised over 200 Bobs thus far this spring/summer with these, and they are (my) answer to the drowning problem that's often published. Works with any pint / quart mason jar........or the plastic Little Giant jars. No need for marbles, gravel, etc.....in the waterer. Now, as far as them dirty'ing the waterer up, keep jacking it up just high enough so they can walk right up to and drink without having to get on their tippy-toes, or stretch their necks all outa whack. Right now, I've go 54 3-week olds with 2 of these waterers setting on a 2x4 cut just long enough for the 2 to set on, yet not get their butts up above the drink ring to soil the water.