Bob White Quail eggs

[eslamberson]

I have around 50 (~38 females & 10-12 males) left over BW Quail from bird dog training. They are healthy & happy and on 4/8 they started laying eggs like crazy. We let them keep 10 eggs in their single large nest (there are many boxes for nests but they only like this one). We marked the first eggs with an x with magic marker. It seems to be a "community" nest. They continue to lay in the community nest plus all over the floor of their pen. We were surprised to see as many as 3 males and 4 or more females sitting together on these 10 eggs. Very cute to see them turning the eggs.

We are collecting around 15 eggs/day to go to a local restaurant owned by a friend.


Question: So what happens if/when their eggs hatch? Will they take care of the chicks or do I need to take them away into some sort of little pen with a warming light? Should we just let them take care of their chicks? The adults are being fed game bird starter plus some Layena, meal worms, greens, seeds.

Thanks
Elena Lamberson
Johns Island, SC

 

[dc3085]

If it was just a pair you might let them brood their babies, but since you have a colony you need to pull the chicks or the other birds'll just kill them.