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| | |-+  3 week olds In Breeder cage - will they drink?
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Author Topic: 3 week olds In Breeder cage - will they drink?  (Read 4251 times)
pocketsierra
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« on: March 13, 2005, 02:15:34 AM »

Late tonight, shortly after finishing the breeder cages, I transferred my 23 3 week olds to one of them.

They have the GQF drink cup system that I also installed tonight.

I have not yet seen them drink. I know they need to learn that pecking makes the water flow. But there is water in those orange drink cups and they haven't touched that yet. Some have even explored the area around the drink portals, but they seem to be looking for a place to escape, not a place to drink.  

Will they drink?

Nathan
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penny's dad
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« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2005, 06:16:19 AM »

yep
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wirenut
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« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2005, 07:59:27 AM »

Yes, don,t worry they will find it.
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pocketsierra
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« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2005, 12:39:41 PM »

They seem to be going to it this morning just fine. Maybe they got over their initial fear that I poisoned it or something.

I don't know if they are triggering the flow yet, but I don't think that will take long now.  

Thanks for the encouragement.
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CHARLIE
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WHY
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2005, 09:24:19 PM »

MY QUESTION IS AT 3 WEEKS WHY ARE THEY IN BREEDER CAGES  AND NOT IN A BROODER ? MY CHICKS STAY IN MY G.Q.F. BROODERS TILL THEY ARE 5-6 WEEKS OF AGE. DO YOU HAVE HEAT FOR THEM ? AT 3 WEEKS OF AGE I WOULD USE THE QUART WATER JARS WITH THE SMALL DROWN PROOF PLASTIC WATER BOTTOMS.
                      CHARLIE
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drwink
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« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2005, 08:52:18 AM »

Mine stay in brooders till over 5 weeks also with the temp being gradually lowered each week.

Young birds are very suseptable to cold & drafts - be carefull
They need to go into grow out pens with more space after they are old enough, its gonna be a long wait if you are expecting them to breed.

Wally
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pocketsierra
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« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2005, 01:37:32 PM »

I should have explained bettter. Consider these as more as an intermediate growing pen. It happens to be the same as the breeder cage because that is what I have already built. It does still have a ceramic heat source and is protected from drafts. But it gives them more room to grow than the tote box brooder they were in.  

I also didn't mention these are Coturnix quail. Most publications on the subject mention they need brooding for 3-4 weeks. They are feathered out (the last thing to feather was their head), but they still have the heat source if they need it.    

I do have non drowning quart waterers, but they go through them rather
fast. I was seeing if they will take to the drinking cups which they have so far. No worries about drowning since they can't actually get to them.

For my next batch, I am building a homemade brooder to rival the GQF. I've built the frame so far. It is 4x3 feet and looks like a crib. They'll be able to stay in that one for longer if necessary. I may also be successful in making some quail tractors for growing adults.  

As far as when they will breed, it is not far away, just a month or so away. out. I'm hoping by then they are big enough to not escape through the egg collector. They lay at 6-8 weeks. That's soon enough that I am shopping for a gamebird breeder feed.
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pocketsierra
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« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2005, 03:17:15 PM »

They are drinking okay but I'm not sure I'm happy with the cup drinkers. The PVC pipe connector tends to not seal well and tends to leak. One of them doesn't leak, perhaps by sheer luck. When they've failed, it has required creative placement of a whole section of pipe.

Does someone have experience with the nipple drinkers? One negative I've heard, and I'm not sure about this, is that they tend to drip when not in use. From some previous comments in this forum, it sounds like nipples even work on day old chicks, which is a plus.

What water pressure is used for the nipple waterers? I have a pressure reducer for 5 psi for the cup drinkers.
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