Newly hatch quail chicks distress chirping

[kdeckard]

This is my first hatch on coturnix quail. Two hatched sometime today. I’m not sure what time exactly but I noticed them around 12:30pm. I have other chicks in a brooder close by so I didn’t notice the chirping at first. They seem to be doing well but they are chirping very loudly and seem almost hoarse? Do I need to go ahead and move them to the brooder to get them food and water? They aren’t fully dry yet. I’ve been seeing different info on how long to leave them in the incubator. One article I read said 24-48 hours and another said not over 24 hours or they can become dehydrated? Also, I have Gamebird starter crumbles. Do I need to grind it up for them into like a powder for when they move to the brooder? Any special care that’s different than chickens? We always dunked their beaks in the water and then food so some stuck and they figured it out but, now that they’ve hatched, I’m suddenly feeling unprepared for these

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have photos?
What's the humidity in your incubator that they aren't dry after 9 hours? (They hatched at 12:30pm and you are posting at 9:35pm).

If your brooder is ready and warm and these are moving around, walking upright and carrying on, then I'd move them to the brooder.

Quail chicks can stay in the incubator up to 48hrs, but I usually move them within 24hrs after hatch.

They are so tiny, I do grind up the Gamebird Starter to a finer consistency for at least the first week.
Be sure to place rocks or marbles in the bottom of your water station, Quail will drown very easily. All Quail chicks I've had LOVE water. They drink a lot and just stand and poop in the station so be prepared to clean it frequently. You can dip the beaks in water, don't dunk them, usually if 1 or 2 are already drinking, the others will figure it out - they are pretty good about mimicking one another.

To me, Quail are messier than chicken chicks, they poop a lot, they make a mess of food and water.
They also will get themselves into odd places, they have no sense at all, so if there's anywhere in the brooder where they will get stuck or hung up, fix it.

Oh and after about a week, they can fly, they get the zoomies and start hopping about like maniacs, jumping and popping up in the air, you'll have to watch them or they will hop out of brooder, fly out of cages or whatever, once they hit the ground they are super fast runners- but that's coming from a fat old lady...so take it however you like it.

You'll have fun. Lots to learn, but they are like miniature crazy chicks that want to suicide themselves.

 

[kdeckard]

Do you have photos?
What's the humidity in your incubator that they aren't dry after 9 hours? (They hatched at 12:30pm and you are posting at 9:35pm).

If your brooder is ready and warm and these are moving around, walking upright and carrying on, then I'd move them to the brooder.

Quail chicks can stay in the incubator up to 48hrs, but I usually move them within 24hrs after hatch.

They are so tiny, I do grind up the Gamebird Starter to a finer consistency for at least the first week.
Be sure to place rocks or marbles in the bottom of your water station, Quail will drown very easily. All Quail chicks I've had LOVE water. They drink a lot and just stand and poop in the station so be prepared to clean it frequently. You can dip the beaks in water, don't dunk them, usually if 1 or 2 are already drinking, the others will figure it out - they are pretty good about mimicking one another.

To me, Quail are messier than chicken chicks, they poop a lot, they make a mess of food and water.
They also will get themselves into odd places, they have no sense at all, so if there's anywhere in the brooder where they will get stuck or hung up, fix it.

Oh and after about a week, they can fly, they get the zoomies and start hopping about like maniacs, jumping and popping up in the air, you'll have to watch them or they will hop out of brooder, fly out of cages or whatever, once they hit the ground they are super fast runners- but that's coming from a fat old lady...so take it however you like it.

You'll have fun. Lots to learn, but they are like miniature crazy chicks that want to suicide themselves.

They were fully dry when I checked them this morning! The humidity did go up to about 75% yesterday after their hatch. They’re doing great now! Thank you!

 

[007Sean]

They were fully dry when I checked them this morning! The humidity did go up to about 75% yesterday after their hatch. They’re doing great now! Thank you!

@Wyorp Rock , has given you some good advice. Here's a few pointers to help in your next hatch.You will have better results if you incubate at ~30% humidity and at lockdown raise the humidity to 50 to 60%. 70 to 75% or higher humidity is determental to the hatching chicks, can cause issues with curled toes, due to the time it takes them to successfully get out of the shell. Also can cause 'stuck chick' syndrome, where a chick can not successfully 'turn' during the zipping process and becomes stuck in one position.
They can also drown if the humidity is at saturation level, a drop or two of condensate can fall on the egg where the chick has pipped, getting into the egg and causing the chick to drown. Just some things to be aware of on your next hatch.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They were fully dry when I checked them this morning! The humidity did go up to about 75% yesterday after their hatch. They’re doing great now! Thank you!

Glad to hear they are doing good!

 

[kdeckard]

Glad to hear they are doing good!

I do have another question though. One seems to have bent toes. Is this something that will straighten out over time or is it a concern?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I do have another question though. One seems to have bent toes. Is this something that will straighten out over time or is it a concern?View attachment 3665265

That will not correct itself over time.
You can try taping the toes straight, but they look like Crooked Toes which generally are not correctable as opposed to Curled Toes.

 

[kdeckard]

That will not correct itself over time.
You can try taping the toes straight, but they look like Crooked Toes which generally are not correctable as opposed to Curled Toes.

So probably a feed out for the freezer bird then?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So probably a feed out for the freezer bird then?

Most can get around o.k. with Crooked toes, the problem is knowing what caused them. Genetics/incubation problems/cold brooder floor, etc.

Growing out for processing is certainly a good option if you feel that the issue is genetic or if the bird seems to struggle getting around.

 

[kdeckard]

Most can get around o.k. with Crooked toes, the problem is knowing what caused them. Genetics/incubation problems/cold brooder floor, etc.

Growing out for processing is certainly a good option if you feel that the issue is genetic or if the bird seems to struggle getting around.

I noticed it when he was still in the incubator so I would assume it wasn’t a cold brooder floor. It could have been my fault. I let the humidity get low a couple times but I’m not sure so I will probably cull it later on. It does seem to get around just fine though.