You won't believe what my little quails did...

[IggiMom]

I had 16 quail eggs from Shelleyd2008 and yesterday they hatched--it was great. In about two hours 11 out of 16 hatched, which I think is wonderful for shipped eggs. My best hatch yet. I called the two little neighbor kids to watch and they were thrilled.

BUT this morning when I came in to check on them, thinking they would be all cute and fluffy, they were ALL BUT ONE swimming in my water jars I had in there to up the humidity.

I couldn't believe it. I thought those jars were tall enough to not be a problem. Only one has actually drowned. I think more may die as they don't really look good.

They are all flailing about and chirping unhappily. Cross fingers for them. This sort of thing is SO discouraging, isn't it. I still can't believe it, you should have seen all those wet little things swimming in the jars. These are small jars, but the quail are so little that they could all fit in.

I guess it is sort of like lemmings, one got in so all the rest thought it would be a good idea.

I know, I think I'll put paper towels in there to help dry them out.

Catherine

 

[silentrunning]

For some reason baby quails are attracted to water. I found that out the hard way when my light went out in my brooder. They all headed for the drink dish. I lost 3 out of about 15 but have since rewoked my watering system in the brooder. Dumb birds!!!!

Doug

 

[IggiMom]

I have been drying them out with the hair dryer. And put them on paper towels.

Sheesh.

And 13 out of 16 eggs hatched, apparently I cannot count. This really is a great hatch!

Thanks Shelleyd2008.

Catherine

 

[WriterofWords]

I had that happen with my first quail hatch too, they were like little pieces of popcorn flying around an air popper! They'd land in the mason jars that had water in them for the humidity. They were in my classes home made hatchers out of styrofoam coolers and the jars were big ones! I dried them off and blow dried them as you are doing and they all made it. I put cheesecloth over the jars now with rubber bands to secure them.

 

[jbowen9]

Dont forget when you do move them since i believe they will live either put marbles in their waterer or get a quail waterer if not they will drown there also.

 

[Emilys3guppies]

Oh those poor babies! And poor mama (you)!!! I'll be thinking warm, dry thoughts for the little fluffernuggets. I hope they pull through for you.

All the best,
Emily

 

[monarc23]

this happens a lot with newly hatched chicks going to water they normally are really thirsty after they hatch and the dumb dumbs dont think twice to walk in teh water to ge ta drink, and in doing so get water logged. I'm sorry you lost one and hopefully you can save the others. Its always best to use moistioned paper towels or wash cloths or even CLEAN lol socks for a humidity boost instead of pools of water when at all possible.


Also, I don't use any sort of stuff in the brooder waterer...if the brooder is big enough and the water is AWAY from teh heat, they will not bathe in it. I use a quail waterer plastic jar that you can get from tsc.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Gosh!! Don't you hate that?? So sorry you lost one, but what a great hatch! I use the small margarine bowls in my incubator sometimes, but I cut them down and put them UNDER the wire. Hope the little guys pull through!

 

[redhen]

yup..I've lost some that way also. Why do they want to jump in the water like that?

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
Thirsty and no common sense... I assume in the wild mama doesn't take them anywhere near puddles and creeks, probably takes them out when it's dewy in the morning to drink beads of water (atlesat that's what I imagine

).