Adding quail chicks to existing flock

[tumnus]

I know that coturnix hens don't normally become broody, which makes hatching eggs the natural way a challenge. How do quail react to newly-hatched chicks being introduced to their existing flocks? Do the adults have any parental instincts at all? Has anyone experimented with this before?

 

[JaeG]

The chicks would be seen as intruders and attacked unfortunately. The odd female will go broody but often they quit before they hatch anything, or they will look after the chicks for a few days and then lose interest in taking care of them. Privacy/somewhere to hide out, and space seem to be big factors in encouraging hens to go broody. This lady has had some success in getting her quail to go broody:
https://holistic-hen.blogspot.co.nz/
Scroll down to 'hatching and raising quail' and she has written some articles about her experiences.

 

[tumnus]

Yeah that's kind of what I figured. I understand why the coturnix are the way they are with their offspring but I do kind of wish that they'd be a little bit more maternal. I'll check out the link you sent me!

The chicks would be seen as intruders and attacked unfortunately. The odd female will go broody but often they quit before they hatch anything, or they will look after the chicks for a few days and then lose interest in taking care of them. Privacy/somewhere to hide out, and space seem to be big factors in encouraging hens to go broody. This lady has had some success in getting her quail to go broody:
https://holistic-hen.blogspot.co.nz/
Scroll down to 'hatching and raising quail' and she has written some articles about her experiences.

 

[JaeG]

It does seem to be something that can be bred out of quail very quickly. I had to rear some Button quail chicks after their mother abandoned the eggs when they were pipping. We hadn't had her long and something must've spooked her. The two female chicks we have kept. One will sit and hatch chicks, the other just lays lots of eggs.