Broody Button Quail

[ajones5]

Hi guys,
My buttons have started laying regularly and I’m ready to have more chicks, but none of my hens are broody. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to encourage them to hatch their eggs, or if I’ll have better luck incubating?
Thank you and hope everyone’s birds are well!

 

[redranger209]

I heard to make the habitat as natural as possible helps a ton. Tall grass and other stuff like that.

 

[RosieR]

@ButtonquailGirl14 any ideas?

 

[DK newbie]

Lots of space, only one pair pr. cage and good places to make a nest tend to do the trick for mine. I use 2x4 ft cages (or aviaries) and make sure there is at least one well enclosed corner at some distance from the cage door and the place I put feed and water (so I won't scare them off the nest every time I feed them). I might put a bit of hay in that corner and then a fake plant or spruce branch in front of it so I almost can't see anything in the corner. Then just wait. Once they stop laying in the rest of the cage I know the eggs are most likely in the corner where I can't see them, and if all eggs are laid there, chances are they will go broody once they have 6-10 in the nest. If they don't, I remove the eggs and let them start over.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

#1 :Real plants seem to really help! they will kill them, so put a yogurt, sour cream,...ect plastic container lid and cut a hole so the plant can come out but they cannot dig it up (MAKE SURE IT IS A SAFE PLANT FOR BUTTON QUAIL!) #2 :make some sort of nesting area, mine love this, I made it from birch bark, a piece of cardboard from a siding roll, and a couple pine cones. They LOVE it! (I moved their house to the corner because they seem to like it more) #3 : a good supportive male is key, make sure he is a real gentleman! #4 : ONLY 1 PAIR PER CAGE!!!! I couldn't stress this more. #5 : Good food! they should ALWAYS HAVE ACCESS to fresh food and water including :mealworms (a treat), Sprouts, Non medicated chick starter, bird seed, Grit, oystershell, and any other greens they will eat (as long as they are safe for buttonquail). #6 : a quiet place where they are not disturbed to often. LAST BUT NOT LEAST! #7 : Its all in the hen! a hen has a better chance of going broody if she was raised by a broody herself, remember, BUTTONQUAIL ARE NOTORIOUSLY BAD MOTHERS!