this is a survey overview of our brooders, and simple suggestions on how to create your own brooder for Jumbo Coturnix Quail.
even Jumbo Quail Babies need accessory heat after leaving the incubators 36.5°C /99.5°F warmth. the rule ilof thumb is as follows:
week 1 95°F
week 2 90°F
week 3 85°F
week 4 80°F
at 3+ weeks they are fully feathered and can survive moderate outside temperatures. we often give them an extra week of available 60°-70° warm spots if moving them to an outside "training brooder".
Things to note:
if chick's are always huddled together and shaking (or worse) the temp is too low or brooder heat lamp/source is to high. a 250W Red IR bulb should be 15 inches or more above one side of the brooder box with the feed and water placed close by so they do not get too cold when eating or drinking. use a thermometer or temp gun (Harbir freight $12) to spot test the floor (and bird height if possible).
placing feed and water too far away in an unheated garage during winter months can be deadly.
brooder plate heaters should be positioned on an angle so the lowest area can touch the back of the tallest chick. make sure your supports are fastened properly so as not to crush your little friends.
heat sources:
-60w light bulb (enough heat but disrupts sleep patterns
-100w/150W ceramic heater bulbs - must be positioned lower to radiate heat and can cause burns as the chick's start to jump. must use ceramic bulb base
-250W non dimmable bulb in metal radiant shield - industry standard (clear red bulb better than white for sleeping)
-250W dimmable IR heat blub (clear red with silver reflector incorporated in bulb - can be adjusted with dimmer switch vs repositioning the light. always verify with preferribly 2 different temperature sensors
this video shows a 12v temperature switch that controls the power to two ceramic bulbs placed above temperature sensors in the bottom of the cage floor wire. this can control the window of temperature so that you don't have to adjust the brooder light as the ambient temperature rises during the day or falls overnight. these can be found on Amazon for pretty cheap. learning to wire these can be helpful in making your own incubator.
Tractor Supply Brooder (Producers Pride) 5 deck brooder modifications (for sale at Tully Ruver Quail dot com)
-brooder plate height adjustable mounts ($20/pair $95/5 sets).
-wireless remote lighting system
and finally... werk old chick's at half the price of 3 week old chick's. the money you save by making your own brooder could be spent on more chick's, feed or gear. Don't be lazy... growing your own protien is best appreciated when you are involved at every level.
don't get caught up in "chicken thinkin", with the "I only want Hens!" plea. having a few roosters around help the girls start laying. you can eat fertilized eggs just like regular eggs (with added protien to boot). and since Quail only lay for 2 years... you can build an incubator and keep your protien growing in perpetuity.
call us if you need help.
Doc at Tully River Quail Co