The Renaissance Mom: Saving a Baby

The day of my birthday Eldest Daughter brought home a little quail chick she found on the pavement. A family of about 10 other day old babies and the momma and daddy scattered but this little one laid on the pavement struggling to move. It couldn't walk properly and could only sort of roll and scuttle. Quail babies are born running even though they are so very small. Both Husband and I thought the little ones chances of living were slim. Most times if something like this is wrong then the chick has no chance. But sometimes a chick will not walk right because the egg was too small the its little legs were very cramped. It just needs time to gain strength and then it will be able to walk like normal. Nature, however, is a cruel mother. A chick that cannot keep up will be left behind as the quail family forages for food. That chick probably wouldn't have lasted a night.

We put the little mite under a chick brooder lamp and gave it a chick waterer filled with pebbles because quail chicks are so small that they can easily drown in a normal chick waterer. We put some fine cornmeal in the box too just in case. The next morning I checked on our little adoptee and surprise! He was still alive! He now is walking and hopping just fine and eating and drinking. But we wont be able to put him back with his family, they are long gone by now. So for the present we have a chick to raise. We went and bought a bag of chick starter which comes in 50 lb sacks. So now we have more food than a dozen little quail can eat. Is this perhaps an excuse for mommy to order the chicks she wants? I think it is!

We have still not decided on a name so any suggestions would be gratefully received. Hubby wants to name this little girl/boy after me since it arrived on my birthday and my name can be used for a girl or a boy. Now the chick even sits in our hands and enjoys being petted.