Baby Quail News!

[MageofMist]

Me and my dad doubted that the eggs were fertile as the days were ticked on, but we were proved wrong! I was so scared at first when I saw the eggshells scattered about the cage, thinking Speckles struck again, as she tends to eat eggs and ate one yesterday... But NOPE, I heard little peeps and saw there was babies shuffling about under mama Fluffy! 4 little peepers, and possibly more hatching.

Rex, the father, is super exited over them and keeps picking up the egg shells and trotting about showing them off while doing exited peeps, and Fluffy is keeping the babies nice and warm under herself, and Speckles seems very interested in the babies, helping them back into the nest box when they accidentally get kicked out by Fluffy when she leaves to eat mealworms. I am actually shaking right now which my dad finds hilarious.

They all have dark brown, almost black fuzz on them, so I can tell they aren't silvers, but I am still super exited that I am a grandma to such adorable little fuzzballs!

I will try and get some pictures of them when I can! I am just super exited and just HAD to post about it when it happened!

 

[sourland]

Congratulations.

 

[DK newbie]

Congrats! Do post pics, yes. And keep a watch on all the adults, to make sure nobody is being hard on the chicks.

 

[MageofMist]

I have been keeping an eye on them, so far everything seems to be going well!

Rex even did a territorial "puff up and run around like a maniac" dance at the doves when they went down to investigate, in an attempt to drive them off... Lulu and Romeo just stared at him as he dashed into them and around them until he eventually calmed down. Diamond Doves, masters of not caring.

The fact Rex is protective of the chicks is a good thing though! It means he is way less likely to attack or/and eat them like I have heard of male quails doing.

Edit:

I tried getting a pic of the babies shuffling about under the mother, but the other two quails said no to that. XD

 

[Dani xxx]

Congrats ! X

 

[MageofMist]

Thank you for the congratulations everyone! ^^

I managed to get some pics of the quails and babies.



I also had a rather adventurous one wander out and get lost behind the nest box, so I held him and checked him over and got some pics before returning him... Fluffy is usually very timid and shy, but she entered mega-puff mode when I stuck my hand in the cage to return the baby, probably thinking I was gonna snatch another one. XD


All the baby wanted was to be held and snuggled, and I did just that for a while as I looked it (possibly him) over before returning him to his mama. She guided him and his siblings back into the nestbox with no issues, though I did get a good smack to the hand.

Those little "wheee." calls about stole my heart and I was tempted to try and raise him myself, but I knew I had to return him. XD

 

[DK newbie]

Oh, yeah, be careful with places they can get lost. Even if they are not actually stuck, they can have trouble finding their way back before they get too cold, for the first few days. I've lost a couple of chicks that way. You might actually want to remove the nestbox - they are most likely not going to stay in there for long anyway.

 

[MageofMist]

I have been watching them and mama quail is doing a good job on keeping the babies in it, barring one that seems to be a daddy's boy and is obsessed with trying to follow his dad around. I'd rather not remove the box as it is Fluffy's safe spot, and she feels most secure in it. And after the little one got lost last time, and the 'alien abduction' he seems to be listening to his mama more and not straying too far from the entrance of the nest.

 

[Binki]

Hehehe grats and loving the play by play

 

[LoveInNature]

I am so jealous! Mine are due to hatch on 25-Dec. All the best with them. I am so excited for you!!