Broody Coturnix hen(s)

[Lilyofsalen]

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

Not yet, I believe the chicks will be due on Friday or Saturday.

 

[Lilyofsalen]

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.

Do you keep your pairs in their own pens or keep them in a big community setting? How do you deal with aggressive males?

 

[Lilyofsalen]

I caught five mice with the trap, I think I got all of them! Now to figure out how to keep them out . . .

 

[Quailobsessed]

Do you keep your pairs in their own pens or keep them in a big community setting? How do you deal with aggressive males?

Both. Most of them are in separate enclosures, but I do currently have seven king quails (three males and four females, ) in one large enclosure, some of which are pairs. I would eventually like to keep all my quails in one huge enclosure, but I don't have the space for that. For aggressive males, I just give them the females they're bonded with and give them plenty of space. Some I have had to separate from other males too.

 

[Lilyofsalen]

Both. Most of them are in separate enclosures, but I do currently have seven king quails (three males and four females, ) in one large enclosure, some of which are pairs. I would eventually like to keep all my quails in one huge enclosure, but I don't have the space for that. For aggressive males, I just give them the females they're bonded with and give them plenty of space. Some I have had to separate from other males too.

Have you tried the community set up for Coturnix pairs? Would you? Do you think it would work?

 

[Nabiki]

Have you tried the community set up for Coturnix pairs? Would you? Do you think it would work?

Coturnix usually don't do well in pairs. The male will overbreed the hen. He needs 3-5 hens.

 

[Quailobsessed]

Have you tried the community set up for Coturnix pairs? Would you? Do you think it would work?

I have successfully kept several males with several females, but they're not really bonded pairs. With the right conditions and enough space, I think it can be done.

 

[Quailobsessed]

Coturnix usually don't do well in pairs. The male will overbreed the hen. He needs 3-5 hens.

They usually don't, but there are definitely exceptions. I successfully keep several pairs who are really bonded to each other.

 

[Quailobsessed]

@Lilyofsalen, if you're interested in pair-bonding and broodiness in japanese quails, I would recommend looking at this article and others on the website from someone who does keep quails in this sort of setting.
https://holistic-hen.blogspot.com/2017/05/ideas-for-encouraging-pair-bonding.html#.YAoWkugzaUm

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I definitely have couples. I even have a set of five birds with two couples and an extra girlfriend. Every once in a while they have swingers' party and everyone takes a turn.

Yes, I know -- not recommended. Still, I'm not changing it up until it stops working.

(P.S. Right now they're making a community nest and all the girls put their eggs in the hole they dug. I'm not holding out for them brooding though. Too many "almost" stories, so I'll just skip the drama.)

I'm thinking of separating them into compatible couples before trying to reintroduce them into a group setting to see if that works. That's kind of what happened with the five birds mentioned above.

As you can tell, I'm losing my backbone on culling the extra roosters. . .sigh.