Why do my Quail babies keep dying? UPDATED WITH PICS!

[Plain_View_Farm]

I hope your little ones are doing better today.
Which egg did yours look like?

The larger one is Coturnix and the smaller one is Button

David

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
Check this as all purina bags have the same outer wrap that states growth and plumage on their gamebird feeds--- the individual formula within the bag is printed on the tag that is attached to the bag...

just an afterthought here... what are they doing for oh say the last 12-16 hrs before they die? what behaviors are they exhibiting? anything different about them? do they act different? and particularities about their posture or behavior? whats their poo look like as well?

 

[aprophet]

you have chickens and quail ? how close are they ?

 

[BjsBestGirl]

Ok, Since lastnight, 2 died. But the rest look good-none look sick or ill. By "Temp is good at 99.5", .... I mean it is steady at 99.5 and doesnt change at all. Thanks for the advice about the humidity. I will try it next time and see how it works.
Yes we used an automatic turner. Therefore the eggs were upright
Our chickens are outside, and our quail are inside. They never come in contact with eachother.
Our eggs looked like both in the picture. We had a couple that were just kahki with browm spots like a button egg. But the majority were white with brown spots. Some were all white eggs. Some were white with brown spots and looked like they had a milky film also. Is something wrong with them?
Their poo is greenish brown and some is brown and runny. Within 12 hours of dying they are all acting normal. It's about 2 hours before they die that we notice a problem. By then, they act weak and dont want to move. They kind of waddle like a duck. Almost like they're limping and they just want to lay there. The ones that seem weak and sick are the ones I move to another place. I have a tupperware container within the box that I have made for those babies. So they're still with the other babies but they cant get trampled. Also ALL of my babies look like they're dead when they lay down. Why is that? They lay sprawled out and perfectly still. Scares the heck out of me every time i look in there. I have to nudge the box to check if they're alive. I try to avoid touching them, but sometimes, I have to-like when I move the sick ones.

Also, the papertowel thing didnt work too well lastnight. When they get a drink their feet get a tiny bit wet. The water on their feet soaks the papertowels. One of the ones that died lastnight was all wet this morning. There is'nt enough water in their container to soak them so thats the only thing I can think of.

Another thing, with my chicks and Quail both, every hatch a couple will have their intestines on the outside. I think that their sac gets stuck in the mesh wire (in the incubator) and pulls. Im not sure. I dont open the incubator till theyre fluffy. But the other one that died lastnight was one of those. It lived for three days before finally it stopped suffering. Some of them kick alot. I noticed, last hatch, one kicked so much, its foot caught the sac that was still attached and pulled on it till the insides came out. It died two days later. Why is it that that happens???

I had nightmares lastnight that I woke up and all of them were dead.

. I prayed latnight before bed that all the ones that were sufering wouldnt have to suffer anymore and the last two sick ones died. I hope thats all. Im getting a different waterer today.-.Changing everything for them.
xoxoxoxox
Thanx
xoxoxoxox
-Christine

P.S. The brooder box is not 99.5, that was for the incubator. The Brooder box has been fluctuating around 94*. Im not sure why the temp keeps changing, im not moving the light or anything, but i did notice that it changes a bit.

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

Christine,
If your brooder box is 99.5 degrees today I still think that is too hot for them....
Personally I would raise the light and lower the brooder temp to around 90-95 Max.

David

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

Christine,
How are the baby's doing now?

David

 

[BjsBestGirl]

None have died since night before last

. One still looks sick, but it has for the last three days. It has not died though! It looks like it's cripled. I mean it wont bend it's legs or stand up. It just lays there on its back fully streched out and stiff with it's eyes closed. It kind of has a crooked neck too. I dont know it if got trampled but it's pretty much a parapelegic. I dont mind taking care of it forever, as long as it lives

! But other than "Harriet", everyone is great! I think it was the Pine shavings we were using for the bedding. Perhaps it had cedar mixed in or it had too much oils. I'm not sure but I hope they stay good like this.

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

I'm glad they are doing better. Sometimes overcrowding can lead to chicks getting trampled. At hatch their bones are not fully fused together and it takes a few days for them to bond. If they fuse in the wrong way it can lead to a crippled chick.

I hope too that she makes it through...

David

 

[ranit]

Good suggestions so far. Also a quail chick waterer works best as they cannot get feet or anything in it. If the bird gets its feathers wet it can become chilled. Quail are also very susceptible to drafts. Be sure your feed is a gamebird starter feed (28-30% protein). As stated you are always taking a chance with eggs from someone you do not know. If their breeder birds are not getting the right kind of feed it can also cause weak chicks which have trouble hatching or die shortly after.

 

[BjsBestGirl]

Harriet finally died. Its better than suffering. We dont have any more sick looking ones. GOOD NEWS! I did get a Quail waterer. It works great. I thought since they are so small they could still get into it but they didnt. Its great!

IM SO HAPPY

They dont have any draft or anything like that. Theyre between the back of my couch and the dinning table; small house. I finally got the temp to stay put. So its at 96* but they have LOTS of space to go to get away from heat since i took out the other light. None are getting trampled since about 20 died. It had to have been the bedding! I took out the pine and they stopped dying, SOOOOOO..........

Thank You to Everyone Who Helped!

XOXOChristineXOXO