Quail Growth Record for our first Quail Hatch : first 4 weeks

Our first hatch and there growth record. We will weigh them every 7 days and select breeders based on growth and laying rates. All birds in same brooder and fed same food.

Here are the growth charts. All birds in same brooder!

We started weighing on 8-1-17 at 3 days of age and every 7 days after. Weighed all birds and divided by amount living. As of day 10 no fatalities 🙂 This period is using total weight of both sexes as we can not distinguish the 2!

As of 8-17-17 we have not had any mortalities ! They are almost big enough to tell the sexes apart and we will start following the weight gain by sex and breed.

NOTE: As of week 3 it seems that the whites are falling behind on growth!

NOTE: on 8-15-17 we moved the hatch to regular pens with 1"x1/2" wire bottoms. They were a little hesitant to move around for a few hours and we also introduced them to the new watering system. This is a shock to them as they lost their racial diversity and some heat from the heat lamp in the brooder. We hope it does not effect the weight gain.

NOTE: On 8-17-17 we moved the birds outside where nights are about 85 and days are 90. Again, we hope for no slowing of growth but anticipate it.

Here is a short video showing this hatch compared to another hatch a week later!

Quail grow Quick!

This little fella or gal showed up in the eggs from Kentucky. It looks like a tibetan or rosette variety. And we are seeing males and females! Breeders all 🙂

Little Red is born!

UPDATE 8-22-17:

After a rough week outside , the birds adapted rather well as their number showed BUT we lost a bird! No… I really mean we lost one! No idea on earth where it went! No sign of trauma or struggle. We are putting a game camera on them to see if it was a snake but rather doubt that as we are not in the country and there are lots of cats around! We had expected a slowing of growth as the birds were usd to 70 deg F temps and their 24 hour a day light but it seemed not to matter 🙂 The browns are outgrowing the whites a little bit. 4.94 ounces to 6.42 is a huge difference!

Quail Growth Record for our first Quail Hatch : second 4 weeks

UPDATE 9-13-2017:

A lot happened since last update! We had a hurricane hit and  lost power for a week or so. So we missed weighing the birds one week. All the cages were re-modified also, going from 1″ clearance to 5″+ clearance between bottom  of the cage and the poop tray! Opted to get a 6HP shop vac to deal with the poop collecting! Things were getting a little “Shi**y”

Anyway, with all the commotion from running 2 generators around the birds 24 hours a day plus the activity of us working on the cages , the flock went from 12 eggs a day to 10! No great loss. We made our first sales also! Sold 36 babies and 8 3 week old birds before Facebook stopped our ad on a group sales page 🙁 Facebook can ruin about anything they touch sometimes!

What we did find is that the birds are starting to slow down in weight gain! They are crowing now but no eggs.  Here is the latest weighing chart:

Our goal of 400 grams probably wont be met as the growth curve is flattening out a little AND the fact we are not allowing the birds to be empty of feed before we weigh them. They do have a craw like a chicken and it can hold a lot including water! It is hot and they are always drinking it seems. Time will tell.

UPDATE 9-14-17: First egg from the Kentucky Jumbo Whites!

UPDATE 9-15-17: First egg from the Kentucky Texas A&M!

7 weeks old tomorrow!