Why would baby Cotunix Quail Die?

[Slater1995]

We hatched over 50 eggs, some with a little help. I had a couple die the day of hatch, most likely because they would not have hatched without help. But since then we had had several die for no apparent reason. We are keeping the temp about 95 degrees in their area and they have plenty of food and water.

Is there anything special that we need to do for these babies to keep any more from dying. I have bob whites in the bator and they peeped this morning. I am hoping to come home to some babies, but I want to make sure I am doing all I can for these little guys.

Thanks,
Teresa

 

[BeccaOH]

I'm just on my first batch of hatched quail, so I'm not sure. Is the food small enough for them to ingest? Are you using a high protein game feed?

 

[Slater1995]

Quote:
They are on 24% Game Bird feed and I think the food is plenty small enough, but we put it in a grinder just to make sure.

 

[aprophet]

hypothermia will kill them in 5-10 minutes if they get wet.

 

[Friend2Fowl]

The first week they need the heat to be closer to 100 degrees so they don't pile on each other. Did you start them on paper instead of shavings for the bedding?

 

[Slater1995]

Quote:
No paper, they are on pine shavings and the temp is between 98 and 100. The closer it gets to 100 the more they lay around and look like they are really hot. They have their legs spread out behind them. At about 98 they kinda just sit down and rest. But mostly they just eat.

Should I be giving them anything in their water, like I do with my baby chicks?

Thanks,
Teresa

 

[ranit]

Vitamins & electrolytes in the water is always helpful the first couple of days. Make sure there are no drafts as quail can be susceptible. As far as temperature I like to judge by how the quail are acting rather than the thermometer (although I try to keep it about 95). They shouldn't huddle but should be evenly spread out in the brooder. The waterers for quail with the small troughs are best so they do no get in them and get wet (pebbles in the regular chick waterers also works). How good a feed the parent birds were on can also play into how strong the chicks are when they hatch.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
No paper, they are on pine shavings and the temp is between 98 and 100. The closer it gets to 100 the more they lay around and look like they are really hot. They have their legs spread out behind them. At about 98 they kinda just sit down and rest. But mostly they just eat.

Should I be giving them anything in their water, like I do with my baby chicks?

Thanks,
Teresa

Make sure they know what they are supposed to eat, I leave my youngsters on paper (towels) the first week, or until I need to change it, then they go on shavings. I always seem to lose a couple the first few days though, no matter what I do.

 

[sojono]

I had that problem on my first hatch just dying for no reason that i could tell.then i started putting teramycin in water and i haven't lost any since. i have had several hatches since i started using it. hope this helps. sojono.

 

[GBov]

I use to put my chicken chicks onto a bedding of their food for the first three or four days, sprinkling a new layer in every few hours or so. That way I knew that no mater where they were in the bator food was always right there for them.

Have done the same with my first coturnix hatch and so far so good

Its a bit wastefull of food but I recon its better to waste a couple days worth of food than loose a chick or two because they were too stupid or weak to find the food.