Broody button quail

[DK newbie]

I believe it does. I only have one roo that I know for sure is incubator hatched - and he is also the only bad dad I have.
He had an incubator hatched girlfriend when I got him as well. She'd go broody and hatch chicks, but fertility of their eggs were low and she never managed to hatch more than one chick at a time - and the single chicks ended up dying for one reason or another.
She responded to their calls but didn't really seem to know what to do at first, and once the chicks started getting weak she'd peck at their feet as well.
I have had other hens pecking at chicks' feet but those hens have either not been broody (the chicks were hatched by a cage mate) or their color has been 'wrong' - I had an experienced mom hatch an egg that wasn't hers and the chick was yellowish - not the color she was used to. She pecked at his feet and I gave him to her daughter, who had also just hatched two chicks, and the daughter accepted him. I think what made the difference was it was the first time the daughter had chicks - she didn't know he was 'wrong'.
That's not exactly statistically significant evidence, but I'd say it's pointing in a certain direction.

 

[nchls school]

Thank you for the reply. It would explain why this is my first experience with a broody Japanese quail. In all the years I have had quail, this pair is the first that were not incubator hatched.

 

[nchls school]

Eight wee chicks hatched today; eight tiny Japanese quail chicks-four the normal brown of their mom and four white (yellow) like their Texan father. If anyone would like to see a picture I'll post one.

Now there's nine chicks; 5 brown and 4 yellow.

I thought she had 11 eggs, but a couple days later there was 13. So a possible 4 more could hatch. The hen comes off the nest with the chicks to eat and then goes back to brooding on the nest.

And now there's eleven chicks; five yellow and six brown. The hen has thrown the shells from the nest and still has four eggs. 15 eggs!! Hard to believe such a tiny bird has so many eggs under her and so many have hatched.

 

[nchls school]

This morning there's ten chicks and mom's head is a massive scab. Something got in the pen. I have no idea how as it's made of heavy close spaced screen. Mom and chicks will be coming in the house today. I hope the hen takes the move well. Since this is my first Japanese quail mom I have no idea how she'll react. Anyone know?? I'm hoping she will be like a button quail that I have moved before with their chicks successfully.

 

[DK newbie]

I think I read about people moving broody cots successfully, so I think you'll be okay. Are you sure mom didn't just hit her head boinking for some reason?

 

[nchls school]

The move was successful and, yes, I believe the head injury was the result of hitting her head repeatedly on the cage roof. Probably out of fear or being startled. One of the chicks is gone; I'm thinking small snake.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Snake seems most likely, they're very good at sliding through bars. Be sure it's not still in there hiding somewhere! Occasionally snakes will squeeze into somewhere and then be too fat to get out after eating.

 

[nchls school]

The pen now sits empty. Mother quail and chicks are in the house in a large plastic tub. A small snake does seem the answer; what other predator would be satisfied with one tiny Japanese quail chick?

 

[nchls school]

All doing well. The hen is a great mother. I find the family fascinating to watch. The behavior is much like a broody hen/chicken with new chicks.

 

[DK newbie]

Awwwwwww they are SO cute!