Because we hatch quite a few different kinds of button quail chicks, we have created our own brooders made from ridged foil lined foam insulation (available at hardware stores). The brooders are 6 feet long by 4 feet wide and 2 feet tall. They are heated with a thermostatically controlled electric heating unit. We place our aquariums down inside the brooders, so several can be maintained by one central heat source. Light is provided inside the quail brooders by using a single 60 watt light bulb. This has proven to be a very efficient and inexpensive way for us to brood our newborn quail. After about the first week, the chicks are moved to commercial brooders where the temperatures are reduced
by about 5º each week, until the quail chicks are at a comfortable 70º F room temperature.
Because button quail chicks are extremely small when hatched, precautions must be taken to prevent drowning in the water containers. A shallow dish or jar lid with marbles placed in it will take care of the problem. The same applies to commercial jar type drinkers. Unless you use the ones with the very narrow rim (about 1/2 inch), marbles should also be used. We like using the marbles, because not only do they keep the tiny baby button quail from drowning, they also encourage the babies to peck at them because they are shiny, and in doing so, they tend to drink more water. We add a fourth teaspoon of liquid mineral supplement (readily available at health food stores) to the chicks water to insure they get off to a healthy start.
The quail chicks are freely given 16% non medicated chick mash, which we sprinkle directly on the nonskid matting on the bottom of the brooders, to encourage the chicks to start pecking for food. When the chicks are about five days old, we introduce a little bit of fresh greens into their diet. We believe this has prevented any cannibalism that some breeders have warned about. We have found that by providing adequate stimulants for them to peck at-- the marbles, abundance of food, and greens-the quail chicks seem to be quite content and do not seriously peck at each other. However, I would like to note that there will be some minor pecking among the quail. This we believe is an instinctive reactio
n. Like all babies, they are learning to determine what is and is not food. The movement of another quail chick's feet, for example, may look like a moving insect to them. With this type of pecking, serious damage does not occur and is in fact useful, not only for the chick doing the pecking, but for the chick being pecked on. It stimulates the one being pecked on so that it moves about more and gains more strength in its legs. It also activates a survival instinct by teaching the young quail that there are things in the world that may try to attack them.After the first five days, the nonskid liner is replaced with a combination of sand and a horse bedding, called "Dry Stall" found at most feed stores. This combination is warm and very absorbent. Pine shavings can also be added to the mixture.
re not available. We also provide meal worms, which we raise ourselves, and an occasional baby cricket. Once a week, we add a vitamin supplement to their water. There are many good ones on the market. We have had good results with a liquid called "Red Cell". We add 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water. Worth mentioning is that when a vitamin is added to the water, it should be changed often so that it does not become contaminated.
Also worth mentioning are predatory wildlife problems. We have had more than our share this winter, and because of it, our spring season will get off to a slow start, but we hope to be in full swing again by early summer. Outdoor pens should have wire buried under the ground to prevent predators, such as skunks, raccoons, opossums, fox, coyotes, rats, domestic cats and weasels from digging under. If that fails, a single strand of electric wire fencing set about four inches off the ground all the way around the pens might do the trick. To deter owls and hawks, we keep a radio playing all the time (stations with 24 hour talk shows seem to work best). As for bobcats and Mountain Lions, we are still searching for answers. We almost had a handle on the problem, but with the new trapping laws, we are back to square one. The big cats tend to tear through the pen wire to get at the birds.
(Editors' note: Jodi and Bruce McDonald of Bracken Ridge Ranch are among the world's most knowledgeable and successful breeders of button quail. Jodi has contributed many articles on keeping and breeding quail to the Game Bird Gazette magazine. Click on cover picture at left to subscribe to the magazine. Their stock is of the highest quality and they offer quail eggs for sale each year. In addition to quail eggs, you can purchase specially designed button quail breeding cages from them. You can obtain information on purchasing both eggs and breeding cages by contacting Jodi and Bruce at Bracken Ridge Ranch, 15038 Colfax Highway, Grass Valley, California 95945. E-mail : mcdonald@ncwebsurfer.com. Visit their website at: www.ncws.com/mcdonald
