Ensure Non-Slip Flooring

Line the brooder floor with paper towels for the first 3–5 days, then transition to pine shavings. Avoid newspaper, cardboard with a glossy finish, or bare plastic — these slick surfaces cause splayed leg (spraddle leg), a condition where chicks' legs slide apart permanently if not corrected early.

Why It Works

Quail chicks weigh only 6–8 grams at hatch and their legs are still developing. Paper towels provide enough grip for chicks to walk and build leg strength. Pine shavings, introduced after chicks learn to distinguish bedding from feed, offer moisture absorption, odor control, and continued traction as chicks grow.

Tips

• Replace paper towels at least twice daily to keep the surface dry and clean
• Use large-flake pine shavings, not fine sawdust, which chicks may inhale or eat
• Never use cedar shavings — the phenols cause respiratory damage in quail