The greatest mortality of quail occurs in the first four weeks after hatch. This is a critical period which often determines whether the fall population will be a bumper crop or less than desired. Quail chicks have only a few requirements but these are a must!
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Chicks need freedom of movement at ground level, overhead
concealment and a diverse assortment of green plants or plant parts within pecking height -- which for a baby quail is only about 2 inches. The ground cover must be very open with only 30 - 50% vegetative coverage. This means that as much as 70% can be bare ground.
Recently burned prairie units are ideal as are old field sites, weedy strips, legume plantings and small grain and legume mixes. The brood cover must be near (within 100 yards) of midday loafing coverts which is typically woody cover thickets (covey headquarters) or stands of taller dense weeds. |
Low lying greens attract insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, ants, and other invertebrates, which compose almost the entire diet of quail up to three weeks of age.
