Broody Coturnix #3

[le_bwah]

She's been very attentive so far, keeping the babies warm and making these great sort of groaning/growling noises when the dog or cats come to check them out through the wire. Have a short clip I edited of her fitting six chicks under her lol:

 

[Roosterinthecity]

That’s interesting since being broody has basically been eliminated from quails…..or so I read an article that said so. My quails lay eggs while walking. Never sit. Therefore need an incubator.

 

[le_bwah]

That’s interesting since being broody has basically been eliminated from quails…..or so I read an article that said so. My quails lay eggs while walking. Never sit. Therefore need an incubator.

Rearing young isn't like feather color or egg pattern—there's not some cluster of genes you can selectively breed for to change or "eliminate" it all together. I would bet a lot that the same people who write articles like that are also keeping their quails on barren wire.

 

[calicocows]

Adorable!!

 

[Cool-breeze7]

Rearing young isn't like feather color or egg pattern—there's not some cluster of genes you can selectively breed for to change or "eliminate" it all together. I would bet a lot that the same people who write articles like that are also keeping their quails on barren wire.

I’d love a touch of advice from someone more experienced. Any advice for getting mama to voluntarily leave her clutch? My hen keeps adding eggs. Previously sprinkling some treats around would motivate her long enough for me to clear out the new eggs. Here recently I’ve had to sprinkle treats near by to get other birds close enough to annoy her.

Today she refuses to move. A few extra eggs for a day shouldn’t be an issue but if it continues it’ll be problematic. I don’t handle my birds often and would rather not spoke her to bad. Any thoughts?

 

[le_bwah]

I’d love a touch of advice from someone more experienced. Any advice for getting mama to voluntarily leave her clutch? My hen keeps adding eggs. Previously sprinkling some treats around would motivate her long enough for me to clear out the new eggs. Here recently I’ve had to sprinkle treats near by to get other birds close enough to annoy her.

Today she refuses to move. A few extra eggs for a day shouldn’t be an issue but if it continues it’ll be problematic. I don’t handle my birds often and would rather not spoke her to bad. Any thoughts?

In my experience, a broody quail leaves her clutch multiple times an hour for a couple minutes at a time—it's just hard to catch her in the act. I've had to shoo Wilma and Brickle off to remove new eggs and check on the developing ones. As long as you use proximity and don't try to be scary, they have no problem snagging a quick drink or nervously pacing until you're done.

It seems that, as with chickens, moving the broody is much less risky than moving the nest. If hens are laying fertilized eggs in with hers, then yes, remove them or risk killing developing embryos. Hens will keep laying in the nest, even if they're getting chased off.

If you have other hens in with the broody, be warned that she may begin showing aggression, particularly to those who come near her nest or who she feels she is competing with for food and water. Wilma balded one hen in a day before I realized how territorial she was getting. I screen off my broodies for this reason—mesh garden netting and clothespins seem to do the trick, so long as the bottom is weighted down.

 

[Cool-breeze7]

In my experience, a broody quail leaves her clutch multiple times an hour for a couple minutes at a time—it's just hard to catch her in the act. I've had to shoo Wilma and Brickle off to remove new eggs and check on the developing ones. As long as you use proximity and don't try to be scary, they have no problem snagging a quick drink or nervously pacing until you're done.

It seems that, as with chickens, moving the broody is much less risky than moving the nest. If hens are laying fertilized eggs in with hers, then yes, remove them or risk killing developing embryos. Hens will keep laying in the nest, even if they're getting chased off.

If you have other hens in with the broody, be warned that she may begin showing aggression, particularly to those who come near her nest or who she feels she is competing with for food and water. Wilma balded one hen in a day before I realized how territorial she was getting. I screen off my broodies for this reason—mesh garden netting and clothespins seem to do the trick, so long as the bottom is weighted down.

Well my timing just sucks then . Thanks for the tip though. She’s been territorial for sure. I currently have enough space/ low enough density that it’s not a major concern of mine.

I had to much chaos last year to do another hatch and didn’t have nearly as many hens as I had hoped for in my aviary. Ended up giving these birds around 18 sqft each . I’m not quite that generous, just that good at hatching roosters.

In hindsight I should have discouraged her. I have some 6 week olds today from my last hatch that are ready to be moved out and she’s a bit of a problem in that regard. But you know how quail math goes…

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

Go Wilma!! Holy mackerel, those babies are CUTE

 

[le_bwah]

Well my timing just sucks then . Thanks for the tip though. She’s been territorial for sure. I currently have enough space/ low enough density that it’s not a major concern of mine.

I had to much chaos last year to do another hatch and didn’t have nearly as many hens as I had hoped for in my aviary. Ended up giving these birds around 18 sqft each . I’m not quite that generous, just that good at hatching roosters.

In hindsight I should have discouraged her. I have some 6 week olds today from my last hatch that are ready to be moved out and she’s a bit of a problem in that regard. But you know how quail math goes…

Oh yes, I am familiar with quail math

Hope that integration goes well—and trust that if you can't let a hen be broody now, she could always try again later!

Go Wilma!! Holy mackerel, those babies are CUTE

They are suddenly impossible to get a picture of, very zoom and scurry. Wilma can barely fit them all under her at night. They prefer to drink by standing in the waterer (same goes for food lol). Only two are shaping up to be the same color—I'm so excited to see what they all are!

The last natural hatch is about four weeks and just starting to mature (only one confirmed male so far). They are quite feral and hide when I come near. Oh well, it's still fun to catch glimpses of silver in the grasses.

 

[Sir Sacabambaspis]

Wilma doesn't like me being so close to her, but I got a little video.

How adorable