j.a.m poultry
New member
Gd evening all. How you all. All 26 quails have hatched few died comibg out of shell.the blue badge holder has fount his feet.woo hoo.he was break dancing.lol.thank you marigold for your help.most aprichated.
Chinese painted quail incubation
- Thread starter j.a.m poultry
- Start date
That's brilliant. How many days incubation was that in the end? Must have been a record I should think. Glad the poorly one recovered. They will keep you busy!
Any chance you can post some pics?
Any chance you can post some pics?
j.a.m poultry
New member
I will post pics shortly marigold. Another question. What age does quail start eating seed an what type. An got a quail that has black legs. Al the rest have normal colour legs an feet.and also he likes to stand tall an hes the only one that does that.is he a cock bird? Iam goin to keep them in my racing pigeon loft.will that be ok? Can the eat pigeon food? Or budgie seed. Or mixed corn?
Feed chick crumb for the first few weeks as they need the high protein formula and also its a suitable size for them to manage. Gradually add in seed when they begin to feather up, about 3-4 weeks maybe. I feed my Coturnix adults on Garvo Alfamix for Chicks which has mini pellets that include necessary vitamins and minerals, plus seeds, plus dried crustaceans and mealworms. Quail need a high protein diet, ideally 20%. When they begin to eat seed you need to provide small sized grit ( for cage birds) as well.
What sort of cages are you going to use in the pigeon loft? They will need plenty of light, at least 14 hours a day, natural or electric, as they begin to mature, though 12 hours will do when they are very small. Mine were under a heat lamp for the first 4 weeks and then I put them out in my shed with a little Brinsea Ecoglow electric hen, which was ideal once they feathered up a bit. At this time of year I think they will need supplementary heat for several weeks, no point risking them getting cold. They also like little shelters they can hide under, cut- down open- fronted cardboard or plastic boxes will do, or of course the Ecoglow does the job as well.
What sort of cages are you going to use in the pigeon loft? They will need plenty of light, at least 14 hours a day, natural or electric, as they begin to mature, though 12 hours will do when they are very small. Mine were under a heat lamp for the first 4 weeks and then I put them out in my shed with a little Brinsea Ecoglow electric hen, which was ideal once they feathered up a bit. At this time of year I think they will need supplementary heat for several weeks, no point risking them getting cold. They also like little shelters they can hide under, cut- down open- fronted cardboard or plastic boxes will do, or of course the Ecoglow does the job as well.
j.a.m poultry
New member
I got nestboxes in the loft.thers spaces under nestboxes.just got take the mesh away.what do you mean by csges.i keep them indoors until warmer. Or I put heat lamp in in the loft.i got a couple of them from the farm I work on.i keep feeding chick crumbs.whst about growers pellets after that? I got obe wirh black legs is that normal? An he stands up tall than rest an calls is he a cock bird. Thanks marigold
j.a.m poultry
New member
An got loads of grit. For my racers and chickens.
j.a.m poultry
New member
O an is was 22 days incubation.insted of 15.do you I make record books.lol. 
I keep mine in built-in cages 2 ft by 3 ft with a led light fitted in each cage, very economical, doesn't overheat them, on a timer so they get the 14-16 hours they need. Wire fronts on a hinged frame, very small mesh ( you will need 1/2 in mesh for CPQs.) they are real escape artists. Or you can use those guinea pig cages that are a plastic tray with a removeable mesh top, they are good. Need plenty of ventilation and air as well as light.
Growers pellets are not enough on their own, too boring, they need a mix of smaller seeds as well wild bird seeds, eg robin food, might be good.,they prefer seeds, also dried mealworms, a sprinkle a day when big enough to eat them. Also daily greens, lettuce or salad, when a bit bigger.
You will need to get chick size grit, or preferably the sort or small cage birds which has extra calcium added as little granules. Chicken and pigeon grit is too big for them.
I do find the length of incubation amazing. Maybe you should get a second thermometer and do trials of this against the incubator setting, without rggs in obviously, as it may be that your incubator is running colder than you expect and this was delaying the hatch. Glad it turned out OK though.
Growers pellets are not enough on their own, too boring, they need a mix of smaller seeds as well wild bird seeds, eg robin food, might be good.,they prefer seeds, also dried mealworms, a sprinkle a day when big enough to eat them. Also daily greens, lettuce or salad, when a bit bigger.
You will need to get chick size grit, or preferably the sort or small cage birds which has extra calcium added as little granules. Chicken and pigeon grit is too big for them.
I do find the length of incubation amazing. Maybe you should get a second thermometer and do trials of this against the incubator setting, without rggs in obviously, as it may be that your incubator is running colder than you expect and this was delaying the hatch. Glad it turned out OK though.
j.a.m poultry
New member
Ok thanks I got chick sized grit as I use it for my racers an chickens. What about the black quail.do you think hes a cock bird.he got black legs an feet is that normal..an standing tall.plenty of ventilation in loft.i fink I put them in the young bird section of loft as no youngsters yet. Its 6x6 bout 12ft high. Thanks marigold uve been a trooper answering al these questions. Most aprichated.
Don't take everything I say as gospel, I've never kept CPQs only coturnix. There are people on here who know much more than me about them (Dean and Laura, where are you, we need you!) I would say that probably the bird with black legs is just a colour mutation and I don't expect you could tell its sex at this early stage-but of course you've got a 50-50 chance of being right about him being a boy.
Anyone else got a CPQ with black legs?
I expect they are out of the incubator by now - what sort if a brooder are you using? Have you got a thermometer in there to check that they are warm enough at night? I found the temp. dropped a lot at night and I had to lower the heat lamp several links of the chain.
I used a big box and lined the sides with the stuff you use to insulate behind radiators, it made a lot of difference to heat retention.
Anyone else got a CPQ with black legs?
I expect they are out of the incubator by now - what sort if a brooder are you using? Have you got a thermometer in there to check that they are warm enough at night? I found the temp. dropped a lot at night and I had to lower the heat lamp several links of the chain.
I used a big box and lined the sides with the stuff you use to insulate behind radiators, it made a lot of difference to heat retention.
j.a.m poultry
New member
Hes al black with white wings.an bit of whit under chin.yes they out of broder for couple of days now. An eating an drinking al good.i dont know any body with cpq.hes the only one thats stands tall. Brooder I made my self out of storage box.i keep in frobt room an keep heating on low. its 35c at mo in brodder it dont go below 33 at nite. You made me chuckle wen u called out to ur freinds.lol. the one I aed that doing breakdancing as got curled feet but is doin very wel.
