When Do Button Quail Chicks Start Eating?

[Tryinglittleleg]

I recently had 4 Button Quails I had the hatch out of eggs myself because the mum stopped being broody at the last second. Sadly only one made it he hatched at 4:30pm Australian Eatern standard time yesterday about 20 hours ago and he hasn't eaten yet I've dipped his beak in the water and he has been drinking fine but not eating I've got a temporary brooder and everything for the little guy (I'm useing a 30 watt lava lamp without the top for his heat lamp when do they start eating?

 

[Tryinglittleleg]

 

[Tryinglittleleg]

 

[DK newbie]

What are you feeding him? Not eating for the first 24 hours shouldn't be a problem, but I won't tell you not to worry as I do believe single chicks sometimes have a hard time learning how to eat.
If you peck at the feed with your finger, does he seem interested in it?
If I were you, I might actually try putting him back with his mother - there is a chance his peeping will turn on her instincts and make her care for him. Just don't leave him unattended there unless she does a perfect job. And don't leave him there for so long that he gets cold, if she's not sitting on him.

 

[Tryinglittleleg]

What are you feeding him? Not eating for the first 24 hours shouldn't be a problem, but I won't tell you not to worry as I do believe single chicks sometimes have a hard time learning how to eat.
If you peck at the feed with your finger, does he seem interested in it?
If I were you, I might actually try putting him back with his mother - there is a chance his peeping will turn on her instincts and make her care for him. Just don't leave him unattended there unless she does a perfect job. And don't leave him there for so long that he gets cold, if she's not sitting on him.

I just got him to eat some seeds! About an hour ago I'm feeding him some starter and egg and buscuit as well.

I'll try what you said tomorrow as it is starting to get dark here.

 

[DK newbie]

Seeds are better than nothing, but they don't have nearly the protein he needs, so if you can get him to eat anything with ~24% protein, I'd get rid of the seeds to make sure he doesn't end up getting too little protein.
Good to hear he's eating though - might not be necessary to put him back with mom then, but of course it's easier if she does all the hard work og raising him

 

[Tryinglittleleg]

The egg and biscuit we feed them is high protein it's 26% we raised another 3 buttons on that and they are now laying eggs of their own!

 

[Tryinglittleleg]

Thanks for the help by the way!

 

[DK newbie]

You are welcome

 

[mike1501]

I've recently had 5 hatch and mum is looking after them great. They're actually eating the high protein food the adults are eating but I've crushed them to make it easier for them. I'm also feeding them mealworms once a day for added protein. They love it!

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