Broody Chinese Painted/Button Quail w/ chicks

[eveliens]

I'm having that happen quite a bit this year with all the birds. We have been having a load of severe storms, heavy rain, and flooding.

Very well. Since the eggs are so different I put a couple white eggs in with them the first time to encourage brooding; which works well. After raising them once the hens accept the odd eggs readily.

You are correct. It would not work. Either the eggs or the chicks would be crushed.

Serama are best as they are smaller. I've a few now that are not much bigger than the quail.

Yeah, it got warm in Feb. here, which isn't unheard of but is somewhat unseasonable, so the hens have all been laying since then. Unfortunately, the temperatures have been fluctuating a lot and there have been several big storms that just aren't characteristic of the area particularly high wind ones. The chickens don't care much but the quail seem to be a lot more sensitive to weather changes.

How flighty are seramas? I assume they're similar to the Japanese, as in that they can fly but only do so when needed. That's my main concern with the smaller bantams - they have a reputation for being high-strung and have a love of flying. I can clip wings but I'd prefer a breed that likes to stay on the ground and isn't interested in wandering during free ranging time.

They are a popular breed in my area (along with ogebs), so I could get a pullet or hen with reasonable effort and some $, so I might go that direction. Thanks for the info!

 

[nchls school]

How flighty are seramas? Mine are not, but I've bought some that were. I assume they're similar to the Japanese, as in that they can fly but only do so when needed.Correct. That's my main concern with the smaller bantams - they have a reputation for being high-strung and have a love of flying. I can clip wings but I'd prefer a breed that likes to stay on the ground and isn't interested in wandering during free ranging time. Different lines of serama can be very different. Mine are not much for flying and are very calm/easy to handle. They are kept in a coop as free ranging them would just feed the predators.

 

[eveliens]

Well, unfortunately, I did not get to see how long mom&pop tolerated the older chicks due to some massive disruptions forcing the hen off the nest. It's a shame because they only needed about half a week before they hatched. I'm going to take advantage of the hens being off the nest and rearrange the space so it is less cluttered. The older chicks are still in there with the parents just fine but they're looking ready to go and I'll probably move them to the new growout space I made soon.

 

[nchls school]

Well, unfortunately, I did not get to see how long mom&pop tolerated the older chicks due to some massive disruptions forcing the hen off the nest. It's a shame because they only needed about half a week before they hatched. I'm going to take advantage of the hens being off the nest and rearrange the space so it is less cluttered. The older chicks are still in there with the parents just fine but they're looking ready to go and I'll probably move them to the new growout space I made soon.

Perhaps next time.

 

[eveliens]

Perhaps next time.

I'm sure she'll try again soon they are amazingly prolific, this hen in particular is a beast of a broody. Interestingly enough, she actually appeared to be teaching the chicks about sitting on eggs. I don't know the breeder's set up where I got them from but I'm wondering if his hens don't brood and raise, which is why my hens are brooding and raising without too much issue.

 

[nchls school]

It does seem that quail raised by parents do seem more into rearing their own chicks.