The Hatch
2 weeks ago, I had put 14 quail eggs in lockdown.
https://steemit.com/busy/@felixxx/lockdown
Out of the 14, only 3 birds hatched.
I had planned on documenting their growth.
I had forgotten however, how hard it is to take pictures of them, though.
They do not sit still, normally.
Terrible hatch rate
3 out of 14 is a very bad hatch rate.
I had issues controlling the humidity in my incubator.
Only 5 birds developed, but 2 never made it out of the egg.
I helped one out of its egg, after it started crying within the egg - it had pipped the day before already.
It came out with curled toes and could not walk.
I felt terrible and did not feel like posting about dead baby birds.
These are the downsides to breeding, I guess.
I got some Vitamin B 12 tablets, popped one myself, and administered some to the quail - the curled toes were all but gone the next day.
I should have documented this.
I will try again next spring.
Moving out
In a few days, these birds will become restless within their small cardboard box and I will have to move them outside in their cage.
I will try to document at least that process, take some pictures of the new cage, explain how I built it and why. For now, I will go and collect some fresh eggs, from the grownups.
At the moment, they are not fully feathered and it would be cold outside.
When they are a little taller, I will let them join their parents.
As I will have to watch how they get along during the first hours, I will probably have the time to take plenty of pictures.
Until then,
These little dooods are awesome.
How are they doing?
They are doing ok.
I got sick and could not finish their little cage.
They are living with me in my apartment now.
Every morning, one hops out the box and annoys me.
I just caught it and put it back in.
Wow, they are such lovely!
Really nice! Thanks for sharing this story! I wish they will grow up well.
Really nice! Thanks for
Sharing this story! I wish
They will grow up well.
- freiheit50
I'm a bot. I detect haiku.
*"it had pipped the day before already.
It came out with curled toes and could not walk.
I felt terrible and did not feel like posting about dead baby birds."*
That's brutal man... I don't know, I think I would get too attached to these small baby birds to be able to witness something like that and not be in grief for the rest of the year.
I was sweating bullets.
The bird made it and walks around as if nothing ever happened.
For the roosters, I plan on giving them their own cage, raise and eat them, when they are grown out.
I can not get too attached to the individual birds.
When they are a little taller, I will let them join their parents.
Why are they separeted anyway?
They are bred to lay eggs, not to go broody.
The little birds need heat and when the mothers never sat on the eggs, they will not sit on the chicks, either.
However, if I get a good chicken next year, perhaps I can make it sit on some quail eggs and have her raise the chicks later.
Sounds pretty cool.
If i remember correctly, you have some before. Where are they now?
They are in a cage, outdoors.
These are their children.
Ah... the offsprings. At least, still congratulations
Do you have a picture of that cage? I'm curious.
Snapshot from earlier this year ...
Thanks! Do you also let them run in the garden?
That was the idea, but they aren't chicken and would probably never return.
Ah, so I assume there is no fence to keep them in. :/
Can you take them out and pet them, or are they aggressive?
They can fly. No fence can keep them in. Unless I clip the wings ...
You can take them out and pet them, they are just extremely scared.
They are always scared.
The cage is also to protect the quail from predators.
Everything out here wants to eat them.
au man @Felixxx fühl dich in den Arm genommen, 3 Kücken aus 14 Eier ist wirklich nicht das beste, im Frühling wird das bestimmt besser sein.
Überarbeite den Inkubator/Brutkasten und bald wirst du die erste Alien-Mutter auf Erden. ;-)
Cute little ones.
My mama always lets some chicks hatch. This year she also had a problem child with her. Somehow the hen had stepped on her leg and she couldn't walk properly anymore. She had it then a few days with in the room until it became bigger. But unfortunately I don't know what happened to the chick right now... I think I remember that at some point it went and grew.
Indeed a terrible hatch rate
Hmmm you have your challenge... it is interesting and emotional. Some years ago I found a little featherless bird ( einen Star) and helped it growing up. Unfortunately I couldn't teach it to fly - it just walked with me in the garden and did not look at the other (his family) birds in the big cherry-tree to learn by them. So, one day it was gone and I didn't know what happened. It made me very sad (of course I shouldn't name it...). I have been his mother and that is now your job with your quails. God luck @felixxx - looking forward for your story and pics. Regards Kadna
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