Care Instructions

Brooder Temperature

Start your brooder at 95°F during the first week of life. Reduce the temperature by 5°F each week until chicks are fully feathered and no longer need supplemental heat. Always make sure chicks have a cooler area to move to if they get too warm.

Brooder Setup Example

Brooder Setup Example 🐣

Feed

We recommend a good quality Chick Starter/Grower for baby chicks. If you are brooding quail, use a Game Bird Starter/Grower to ensure they get the proper protein levels they need to thrive.

Feed Example

Feed Example 🌾

Space

Make sure chicks have ample space to move around comfortably. Have a grow-out pen ready for when they no longer need heat — overcrowding can cause stress and health issues.

Space for Chicks

Space for Chicks 🐥

Bedding

Keep bedding dry and clean at all times. Damp or dirty bedding can lead to respiratory issues. For quail chicks, use small, non-slip bedding such as puppy pads — wood shavings can be too slippery for their tiny feet and cause leg problems.

Puppy Pads for Bedding

Puppy Pads for Bedding 🐾

 

Pasty Butt

Check your chicks' bottoms daily, especially in the first week. If you notice droppings stuck to the vent (pasty butt), gently clean the area with a warm damp cloth. Left untreated, this can become life-threatening.

Example of Pasty Butt

Example of Pasty Butt 🐤

Water

Always use a shallow water dish for quail chicks — they can drown in standard open waterers. Adding marbles or pebbles to the dish is a great way to keep them safe.

Quail Waterer Example

Quail Waterer Example 💧

Hatching Eggs — Incubation Tips

  • Upon receiving shipped eggs, allow them to rest pointy side down for 24 hours before placing in the incubator. This helps the air cells settle after transit.
  • Some people soak eggs in hydrogen peroxide before incubation — we are not familiar enough with this practice to recommend it, so we suggest researching it thoroughly before trying.
Pointy Side Down

Don't Forget — Pointy Side Down! 🥚