Aussie Finch Forum

NOT HAPPY JAN!
2 of the four baby quail have died I thought one might not make it as it was a bit weird yesterday and I did have to resuscitate one the day they hatched but 2 dead?

sorry to hear

they always pick bad days to come out
some of mine hatched on tuesday 7 five normals 2 cinnomans

Just keep an eye on the male, I had one when I was a kid that had a thing for knocking his chicks on the head

It is my understanding that even under ideal conditions, mortality of quail chicks is still quite high. It's heart-wrenching to see, and naturally we do all we can to minimise losses, but despite all our efforts some mortality is unavoidable.

iaos wrote:Just keep an eye on the male, I had one when I was a kid that had a thing for knocking his chicks on the head

Yeah, I did read quite a bit about aggro males so I was keeping a good eye on the male, but he seems to be doing a really good job, the chicks are usually kept warm by him and seem to follow him more than the hen. As soon as I found the dead babies I immediately thought it might be the male and I checked the babies thoroughly, couldn't find anything, no blood, no strange dents on the head. So maybe its just as Madhatter said

MadHatter wrote:It is my understanding that even under ideal conditions, mortality of quail chicks is still quite high. It's heart-wrenching to see, and naturally we do all we can to minimise losses, but despite all our efforts some mortality is unavoidable.

oh no
madhatter, that's not true. I have raised batch after batch of heathy chicks, only the last one going wrong and losing 3.
I have successfully raised 19 out of 19 chicks in one batch, and altogether about 42 chicks out of aboooout 48.

I stand corrected.

Well, I took a look in the wicker nest house in the corner of the main aviary and I can see at least 2 quail eggs, so looks like more babies on the way

I have had quail over many years and they can be as erratic as. One batch will have 100% survival and another will have only 25%. From the same parents and not necessarrrily worse with 1st timers though that is a consideration. And I have never had a cock attack his chicks, but then I cull any even slightly aggressive bird. My young pair silver cock cinnamon hen are now on eggs.
LML