Broody quail getting attacked?? :/

[Binki]

Hey guys

I have four Coturnix quail in a 6x6 planted aviary. There is one male and three females and one hen went broody a few days ago, it was cute she sat on five eggs and today has 11.... She really can't fit another

So everything was fine in the evening, she was sitting at the sun went down, then in the morning, I see her off of her eggs under a bush of grass, just standing there. I thought it was strange, then the male starts chasing her so I assume he wanted to mate but she wanted to brood so I let them work it out - they've always been peaceful.

I came back about an hour later to see if she was sitting on the eggs yet and she is still being chased by the male and now I see blood on her side. My friend and I pick her up and examine her and think that she broke a feather while trying to get away from the male who wants to mate but when I check again, she has blood on both sides and it's worse so I realized the peaceful male has gone ROGUE and for some reason, has made the poor broody hen his enemy!

Which stumps me because he's always been sweet to them and even cuddles with her on her nest a few times a day...

This is my first experience with this, does anybody have any idea what triggered it?? He does have a favorite female, maybe the broody quail was chasing her away from the nest or something? Or maybe she kicked him off the nest and he took personal offense? Or because she won't mate with him?

I'd like to know so I can prevent this from ever happening again, they're separated now, I have the top half of a dog crate on the aviary ground over the eggs with food and water and the hen and since the male was still trying to get at her (crazy!!) through the crate, I put him in another cage out of her line of sight so he doesn't stress her out while she heals.

She was back on the eggs after half a day of being in the crate hehe! But what triggered this??

 

[DK newbie]

Your guess is as good as mine. Doubt anyone can tell you for sure.. But it seems you did the right thing, separating them. You might want to give her new eggs, depending on your temps, though. They might not have been able to survive so long without heat..

 

[Sill]

Coturnix are not known for being broody and as such some are touch and go as far as being steady on the eggs. Being disturbed by an amorous male can be enough to throw her off. She may need more seclusion, like an enclosed box, dog crate, more vegetation and nesting materiel, etc. Or you could take out the male and maybe the other hens if they bother her. I suspect the other hens were adding to her egg stash, they only lay an egg a day so extras came from other hens. Good luck! I hope you can get her to successfully raise some chicks! Please post updates!

 

[Binki]

Thanks guys

She seems to be sitting tight since then, I tried letting the male out and he went right for her, trying to get at her through the crate which stressed her out so back he goes by himself where they can't see each other.

Also, the two females left in the aviary - one started chasing the other and I seen down feathers in the aggressors mouth after a chase so I knew it would get worse so I put the chaser in with the male and they seem to be happier with no aggression towards each other.

I was considering switching out the eggs but I've read about broody hens getting off the eggs until they're cold with still some success and it was a warm day so I'm just going to let her go for it and see what happens

In other news it's hatching day for the incubator and 7 out of 42 have popped so far

 

[Sill]

It will be interesting if she is able to successfully hatch and brood a clutch and see if her daughters end up being broody themselves. It's mostly been bred out of coturnix but that instinct is in there somewhere, at least in a few hens.

 

[Binki]

She's still sitting tight! She does come off to feed and drink but goes right back to them, usually after a big broody poo the size of a chicken turd xD!!

Blocking the males view, (their temp cage is a long box with two caged ends, served as a shelter and interesting kinda divider for them) I let her come out when I was changing her water, she immediately dust bathed then was back on her eggs when I checked about 30 minutes later so I closed her open crate again she seems pretty serious!!

Yes I wonder if it's more nature than nurture? Like, it's been bred out of them but she's in a nice aviary/wild setting and I kinda did also let the eggs build up for two days (five or six in one nest) but it was because I seen she was interested in them and wanted to see if she would go broody

 

[Binki]

The quail is still broody, but now there are 13 eggs when there should be 11 and even 11 was a bit much for her size xD

I've never done this before, should I mark them with something (can I harm the eggs this way?) and remove any additional eggs that's pop up?

I'm really not certain when hatching day is, but I'm guessing July 31st/August 1st

This picture is from before I had to put the dog crate over her/the nest lol.

 

[Sill]

The quail is still broody, but now there are 13 eggs when there should be 11 and even 11 was a bit much for her size xD

I've never done this before, should I mark them with something (can I harm the eggs this way?) and remove any additional eggs that's pop up?

I'm really not certain when hatching day is, but I'm guessing July 31st/August 1st

This picture is from before I had to put the dog crate over her/the nest lol.

Is she able to cover them all? But if she's already started to set the eggs they won't all hatch at the same time, not good for stragglers. If she is OK with you checking, mark the eggs already present and take out the new ones. Hopefully she will be a mom soon. I'd love to see videos of her, especially her behaviors and the sounds she makes to the hatching chicks and as they start to explore. It's something I've not gotten to see before.

 

[Binki]

It's about 2-3 days? Til possible hatching time and unfortunately, today has been eventful for the broody quail!

This morning, the two caged bullies escaped somehow (still can't figure it out) and were chasing around the broody quail and the other peaceful hen so I removed them in a cage in the garage for now... Then just this evening the peaceful hen was in under the dog crate just sitting there a few inches from the broody hen and then I watched her shove broody out of the nest then start rearranging the eggs :O

So I go in to the aviary and lift the side of the crate to shoo her out and when she goes, a few seconds after broody quail follows her and is half aggressively pecking at her and following her so I penned up broody quail hen in the dog crate with her eggs she's back on them like a trooper!!

So two hens fighting over a nest? I cleaned out the cage box and put the nest stealing hen in there.. Also found five eggs from the couple who were in there first so left them in there on some fresh hay in case she decides to be broody too lol.

So now broody quail has the run of the aviary.. Sigh I think the eggs will be late if anything comes from them!

 

[Binki]

*Update*

Six baby quail hatched and she's back on the nest!! Got some of her "come here for the food" sounds for you Sill hehe I started a new thread here with the video link -

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1125188/broody-quail-hatched-five-chicks-outside#post_17354331