Broody Coturnix hen(s)

[Lilyofsalen]

Does a less diverse gene pool mean that someone would have to start the domestication process all over to get the sort of genetic diversity to compete with chickens? Does that mean there is really only so much you can do with today's Coturnix?

 

[Lilyofsalen]

What about breeding broodiness back into Coturnix? Would this be possible?

 

[Nabiki]

What about breeding broodiness back into Coturnix? Would this be possible?

Given enough time and space, I imagine it would be. We've been breeding for desirable traits for millenia.

 

[Quailobsessed]

What about breeding broodiness back into Coturnix? Would this be possible?

I've bought quails from a breeder who has been breeding broodiness back in her quails for about six years. I think it can be done. As long as people keep incubating their eggs though, broodiness is further bred out. This is why I encourage my birds to incubate and raise their own young.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I've bought quails from a breeder who has been breeding broodiness back in her quails for about six years. I think it can be done. As long as people keep incubating their eggs though, broodiness is further bred out. This is why I encourage my birds to incubate and raise their own young.

Is it working? Particularly the raising their own young?

 

[Quailobsessed]

Is it working? Particularly the raising their own young?

Yeah, she has had a lot of success with quail parents. I bought one of her males and he has encouraged two hens to go broody by nest building for them.

 

[Lilyofsalen]

Whoa, that's cool. What other kinds of behaviors do her males show? Do her females raise the little ones alone? What part about incubating eggs makes quail less likely to go broody? The artificial rearing or that the hens don't have a chance to sit on their eggs?

 

[Quailobsessed]

Whoa, that's cool. What other kinds of behaviors do her males show? Do her females raise the little ones alone? What part about incubating eggs makes quail less likely to go broody? The artificial rearing or that the hens don't have a chance to sit on their eggs?

Yes, her females raise the chicks on their own. I am yet to do studies to prove this, but quails seem to be more likely to go broody or be better parents if they were raised by their own parents. I think the key to broodiness and good parenting is well bonded parents. I have noticed that all my broody quails have been well bonded with their mate. I actually prefer keeping my quails in pairs, because this also seems to encourage broodiness and other natural behaviours.

 

[FloorCandy]

Many of my quail are broody, but I always take their eggs, I don’t think a community pen is a good place to raise chicks, plus if they flush and come down on the chicks it’ll hurt or kill them. My indoor quail readily accept chicks and care for them. New babies are too small though, I had a situation where the adults got startled and flushed and one came down on a chick, and he was smashed into the bedding and stunned, I thought he was dead but he came around. I took them out until they were 5 or 6 days old and they can easily avoid danger now. This is their 3rd set of chicks I think. It makes both the chicks and adults so happy, and my male is obsessed with them.

Quail have so many young because the mortality level is so high, even in a pen without predators, they can easily get lost from their caregivers or squashed. But if you want to encourage broody behavior, you should keep them on the ground, with deep and/or natural substrate.

 

[MGG]

@Lilyofsalen did your quail hatch babies? I didn't read the whole thread yet, but that's awesome she's broody!