Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need to build a brooder box for bobwhite quail. I was thinking about building it out of that foil-sided foam insulation board. Basically, about a 3 X 4 foot box with the sides about 2 foot high. Wire mesh over the top, heated with a shop lamp. Thoughts?

You will need the light higher then 2'. 2' will bee too hot unless you use a really low watt. It's the same as regulating temps as reptiles. I haven't raised quail but have and am now raising chickens. Just make sure you get a quail waterer and not a chicken one. There is a difference and they will drown in a chicken waterer. Try this website, these people know their poultry/game bird stuff.
www.poultryconnection.com

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Shannon in Reno
2.3 dogs
1.0 cat
Bunch O fancy rats and mice
50 something chickens
1.0 Black rat snake
2.0 Albino corn snakes
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
0.1 Rosy Boa
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa
1.0 Amazing Boyfriend

Sorry, cant help with bobwhites. It's funny you mention quail, I did just hatch out for the first time a bunch of button quail.

They were supposed to be easy to raise, but today I find them all ganging up on my one odd colored (slate) chick that I especially wanted to keep, the only one that color. Poor guy is in a solo box now I hope he makes it. I never see rat or mouse pups killing each other off like that =)

Once I have at least a 1.2 of breeders, the females are supposed to lay eggs daily. I might try them out as feeders for my snakes =) (the chicks, not the eggs)

np

Button quail are tiny, and hence don't need much of a brooder.
I had 20 eggs mailed, 10 of them actually hatched out.

For a brooder I am using a 10 gal tank with shelf liner on the floor for footing to prevent splayed legs. 3 sides of the tank covered with coroplast for insulation and for more feeling of security. heat source is a 60 watt bulb in a clamp lamp controlled by a lamp dimmer. 2 bricks standing on one end of the tank with the lamp resting on them., The bricks warm up from the lamp heat and the chicks can huddle next to the bricks for warmth in addition to the actual lamp heat.

for water, I am using a quail chick mason jar waterer with marbles in it to keep them from drowning or getting too wet.

Not my pic but this is where I got the info:

http://ncws.com/mcdonald/CareFeed.htm

In my town it is ILLEGAL to keep quail.

The wild quail population out-numbers the human population, about three to one. It is against the law to catch, trap, keep, own, kill or otherwise harrass the quail.

SnakeyLakey