Broody Coturnix

[chrishel]

I just wanted to share that one of my hens went broody in the sandbox that I gave them. The sandbox is a Chinchilla sand bath house that I got at the pet store. The hens in that cage started laying in the box immediately, and on Sunday I noticed that one hen was sitting in there for long periods of time and was puffed up and spread out in the box. I ventured yesterday to stick my hand in there and she let me take eggs one by one for candling. Each one has some development.

She has been getting off the eggs to chase the other hens around since they all pace back and forth outside the box wanting in to lay. As of yesterday, there are 6 eggs. Since the box is filled with sand, I'm not sure how effectively she's able to turn the eggs. I guess we will see.

Never in a million years would I expect to have a broody cot. I know it happens, but it's a rare occurrence.

 

[quadchick77]

Id block off her area from the other birds or they will drive her insane! Congrats on a broody gurl!

 

[chrishel]

Once in a while she goes crazy and chases everyone. I think she blinded another hen (that's another story altogether). I've been watching everyone closely. When she gets off the eggs, I see other hens go in (one in particular) but they just stand in the box. I think it's to get out of the way and hide more than anything. I checked Saturday and there were six extra eggs in the box and one of the 4 I left her with was cracked. My mom and daughter said they saw two hens in the box when they checked. I pulled 5 of the new ones and the cracked egg and left her with 4 eggs again.

I am waiting for my husband to send some quail to Camp Kenmore so I can move some of the birds to other cages and make it a little less distracting for her. I think that if the eggs get close, I will have to move her to a brooder box because the cages have 1"x 2" wire sides which which is too wide for chicks. These cages are in my garage, so I'm not worried about predators.

So far she has been very tolerant of me. I pull her and the sandbox completely out of the cage everyday and I check her eggs. I put my hand under her and lift her up to make her stand. Afterwards, she sits down again, and tucks each egg under her.

 

[chrishel]

My hen hasn't been very successful with hatching anything. I noticed the eggs have been late and get cracked, so I've been tossing them one by one (after float testing) and replacing them with fresh eggs. I kind of gave up on her successfully hatching her own eggs. I thought about putting a few in the incubator then switching them to her when it was time for lock down. So for the last week, I've left her alone, just filling her food and water. She doesn't make much mess, so I've been leaving the newspaper in the brooder box for a week. Yesterday, I went to change the paper, and peeked in the box and there was a chick in the box with her! I was flabbergasted. I checked the other eggs. One had a small hole at the large end, higher than a normal pip, so I thought maybe she stepped on it. I opened up the hole a little and saw something. Opened it up a little more and saw the whole beak and the chick was breathing. Oops. I put it back under the hen. Hopefully, tonight I will have two chicks!

The sandbox has kind of a high lip on it, so I'm thinking I will need to help the chick in and out for the next day. Mama quail has been very tolerant of me touching her and her eggs.

I'm not sure how old the chick is. I pulled it and set it down in case I have to show it the water (I would think Mama would do this, but if the chick can't get out, then I'll do it when I'm helping it in and out). The chick immediately laid down, so I'm guessing he just hatched yesterday.

Very exciting and cool! I realize, that chicken hens do this all the time, but 1. I'm city folk, 2. It's still pretty neat!

 

[chrishel]

Sadly, I went to check on my little quail family and Baby Quail was dead. I don't know if it was because he/she didn't eat (I don't think so) or Mama Quail stepped on the baby. I examined him a little and he didn't seem "broken" but rigor had set in already. I left Mama in the box on her two eggs. I'm going to float test them today and clean out the box and give her some new eggs if she still acts like she's broody.

The problem is that if she's not broody, trying to re-introduce her back to the flock will be hard since she's been separated over 3 weeks now.

 

[quailchick]

I am so sorry, you must be so sad. I hope she hatches more.