Care
- There should always be CLEAN food and water in the containers. Contaminated food and water can lead to disease and death ( no dirt, sand, feathers etc).
- Quails should never be fed moldy feed because some molds can cause serious health problems or poor growth. Bobwhites, especially chicks, are sensitive to poor feed quality. Grains that are contaminated with molds, weed seeds or dirt should not be fed to the quails.
- The particle size in the feed should be consistent, because if it is not, the quails may only eat certain sizes and only receive limited nutrients, resulting in an unbalanced diet (if you notice that only certain particles are being eaten, refill the bowl with fresh feed).
- Quail under four weeks of age need a supplemental heat source. Make sure the heat lamp and bulb are in working condition prior to moving the chicks into the brooder.
- Chicks need a high protein diet, otherwise they will resort to pecking and cannibalism.
- To reduce pecking, it may be helpful to feed some whole oats, barley, or scratch grain.
- After one week, start feeding the quail supplemental food, in addition to the chick starter food, for extra protein.
- Supplemental food for the chicks can include: apple cores, kiwi skins, tomato slices, staghorn sumac seeds, watermelon rinds, scrambled eggs, freeze dried meal worms, dandelion flowers, romaine lettuce, spinach leaves and fresh grape seeds. However, do not let the food get moldy as that can lead to disease.
- After about three weeks, begin feeding the chicks game bird pellets (not turkey, or chick pellets). If they are having trouble swallowing, crush the pellets (but do not pulverize or powder the pellets).
- Feeders should be level with the crop area of the average bird and waterers should be even with the back of the average bird. This will decrease contamination of the food and water, while still allowing the birds to have access to the feeders.
- Waterers should be sanitized at least once a week with a disinfectant (but be sure to rinse thoroughly).
- If the quails are too cold, the will huddle together for warmth, which could lead to smothering. If you notice this behavior, increase the temperature in the brooder by a few degrees.
- DO NOT handle the chicks more than necessary. Constant contact with humans will desensitize the quails, making it harder to release them into the wild.