Broody coturnix hen?

tinyomelette

In the Brooder
Feb 16, 2018
10
23
39
Sweden
I know it's supposedly pretty unusual but I think one of my coturnix quail hens has actually gone broody. For a few days I've been finding her sitting still in the same spot every time I go to check on them and when I collected eggs yesterday I gently lifted her up (she was NOT happy about that) and I found that she had actually hidden 3 eggs in that one spot, and it also looks like a halfway properly woven nest rather than the regular random "holes" they usually make to lie in (I keep them on a thick bed of straw). Today when I checked on her she was back there again... Has anyone had success letting broody quail hens hatch chicks? Should I separate her from the others? I have one mature roo so there are probably fertile eggs in there I could try it with.:wee
 
Removing the others might stress her into leaving the nest - leaving them there might do the same.
But if she does stay on the nest, you are likely going to have to remove the others sooner or later anyway. Apparently the hens often become aggressive when broody and will chase the roo (possibly other hens as well?) away from the nest.
I don't have cots myself, but I've read several stories of broody ones. People occationally have successful hatches from broody cots and post their stories on here, but it's not a common thing.
If she does manage to hatch chicks, other quail might also pose a threat to them, but the enclosure might not be suitable for chicks anyway, so you may need to remove the mom as soon as the chicks hatch.

Let us know how it goes!
 
I have several hens that act broody, but they aren't. I have 12 birds each in 2 foot by 8 foot egg roller pens. Each pen has a bin with alfalfa or straw which is where they lay most of their eggs. The hens will lay their eggs, sit on them for about an hour - and then walk away. I've left the eggs and the hens alone in the boxes to see what they would do - and over the period of a few days they would be in a different spot in the box, sitting on an egg - while their others were unattended.
 

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