The Dos and Donts of Button Quail
EGGS:
Do:
-incubate for 16 days @ 100 degrees and 50% humidity
-remove from turner @ 13 days
Dont:
-let the incubator run dry, your eggs will dry out
-open the incubator unnecessarily, only for adding water and removing eggs from turner
CHICKS:
Do:
-remove from incubator before 24 hours of age
-use cloth bedding (towel, old T-shirt) for the first 3-5 days
-grind feed or make into a wet mash for at least the first week
-use quail water base with marbles or pebbles OR use a small parakeet waterer. Buttons WILL try to go swimming in their dish!
-brood at 100 degrees for the first week, lowering temperatures regularly as needed
-feed high protein, unmedicated, gamebird starter feed, at least 20%
Dont:
-forget anything in the Dos list!!
YOUNG ADULTS (4-6 weeks)
Do:
-keep in warm area (consistent 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit)
-feed unmedicated gamebird crumbles, at least 20% protein
-start adding oyster shells or cuttlebones and bird seed to the diet to arrive at an adult rate of 60% gamebird feed, 40% bird seed (parakeet/finch seed)
-house in draft-free area
-separate birds if pecking or fighting begins
-house on solid flooring with pine, aspen, or paper bedding
Dont:
-house outdoors in temperatures less than 70 degrees
-play with your buttons
-house on wire floors
-forget anything on the Dos list!
ADULTS (8 weeks +)
Do:
-house in single, opposite sexed, pairs
-use short, wide cages instead of tall 'bird' cages
-use solid flooring with pine, aspen, or paper bedding
-feed crumbled-feed (18% or higher protein) and bird seed (parakeet/finch) at the rate of 60% crumbles, 40% seed
-offer free choice oyster shells or cuttlebones
-house indoors at temps of at least 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit
-house single males in group pens with hatch-mates until acquiring female mates
-use soft roofing or padding on hard surfaces for tops of pens
-use a minimum of 11 x 11 of space per pair
-use wire (sides and tops of pen) no larger than ½ square
-remove eggs regularly (daily)
-consider swapping eggs with dummy eggs to give your hens a break
Dont:
-house males and females together in anything other than a single-pair pen
-house outdoors in temps below 50 degrees Fahrenheit without supplemental heat and draft guards
-feed low-quality feed
-use solid-topped pens without padding!
-house on wire flooring
Video clips of crowing sounds (male) and locator sounds (male and female). There is a lot of confusion between these 2.
This is the crow (wind sound) that only males do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6J4-kF5zRA
And here is the locator call that both males and females make:
This post was edited to change the protein % on the feed requirements. Some people say 28% protein, I have always fed my buttons 20% protein feed.
EGGS:
Do:
-incubate for 16 days @ 100 degrees and 50% humidity
-remove from turner @ 13 days
Dont:
-let the incubator run dry, your eggs will dry out
-open the incubator unnecessarily, only for adding water and removing eggs from turner
CHICKS:
Do:
-remove from incubator before 24 hours of age
-use cloth bedding (towel, old T-shirt) for the first 3-5 days
-grind feed or make into a wet mash for at least the first week
-use quail water base with marbles or pebbles OR use a small parakeet waterer. Buttons WILL try to go swimming in their dish!
-brood at 100 degrees for the first week, lowering temperatures regularly as needed
-feed high protein, unmedicated, gamebird starter feed, at least 20%
Dont:
-forget anything in the Dos list!!
YOUNG ADULTS (4-6 weeks)
Do:
-keep in warm area (consistent 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit)
-feed unmedicated gamebird crumbles, at least 20% protein
-start adding oyster shells or cuttlebones and bird seed to the diet to arrive at an adult rate of 60% gamebird feed, 40% bird seed (parakeet/finch seed)
-house in draft-free area
-separate birds if pecking or fighting begins
-house on solid flooring with pine, aspen, or paper bedding
Dont:
-house outdoors in temperatures less than 70 degrees
-play with your buttons
-house on wire floors
-forget anything on the Dos list!
ADULTS (8 weeks +)
Do:
-house in single, opposite sexed, pairs
-use short, wide cages instead of tall 'bird' cages
-use solid flooring with pine, aspen, or paper bedding
-feed crumbled-feed (18% or higher protein) and bird seed (parakeet/finch) at the rate of 60% crumbles, 40% seed
-offer free choice oyster shells or cuttlebones
-house indoors at temps of at least 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit
-house single males in group pens with hatch-mates until acquiring female mates
-use soft roofing or padding on hard surfaces for tops of pens
-use a minimum of 11 x 11 of space per pair
-use wire (sides and tops of pen) no larger than ½ square
-remove eggs regularly (daily)
-consider swapping eggs with dummy eggs to give your hens a break
Dont:
-house males and females together in anything other than a single-pair pen
-house outdoors in temps below 50 degrees Fahrenheit without supplemental heat and draft guards
-feed low-quality feed
-use solid-topped pens without padding!
-house on wire flooring
Video clips of crowing sounds (male) and locator sounds (male and female). There is a lot of confusion between these 2.
This is the crow (wind sound) that only males do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6J4-kF5zRA
And here is the locator call that both males and females make:
This post was edited to change the protein % on the feed requirements. Some people say 28% protein, I have always fed my buttons 20% protein feed.
Last edited:
