Broody Japanese Quail.

[TomGren]

Hey all.
So yesterday I found one of my Japanese Quail hens sitting on a nest of eggs. I didn't even know they were laying because the shortest day of the year was yesterday (9.5 hours sunlight) here in new zealand and I don't have any artificial lighting for them. Even stranger yet I have more males than females (they all get along) and they were taking turns guarding the nest and sitting on the eggs. Today I decided to block the nesting box off to prevent the males from coming in because they were trying to mate with her as she was sitting there.

So my question is. Has this happened to anyone else? Laying and going broody in winter? What should I do. I heard Japanese quails rarely go broody and they make terrible mothers.

 

[FloorCandy]

Hey all.
So yesterday I found one of my Japanese Quail hens sitting on a nest of eggs. I didn't even know they were laying because the shortest day of the year was yesterday (9.5 hours sunlight) here in new zealand and I don't have any artificial lighting for them. Even stranger yet I have more males than females (they all get along) and they were taking turns guarding the nest and sitting on the eggs. Today I decided to block the nesting box off to prevent the males from coming in because they were trying to mate with her as she was sitting there.

So my question is. Has this happened to anyone else? Laying and going broody in winter? What should I do. I heard Japanese quails rarely go broody and they make terrible mothers.

View attachment 2729466

I have one who just finished her mothering, but she laid in spring/ summer, so I have no input about brooding in the wrong season. However, she was a wonderful mother and even adopted a runt from the incubator.

 

[TomGren]

I have one who just finished her mothering, but she laid in spring/ summer, so I have no input about brooding in the wrong season. However, she was a wonderful mother and even adopted a runt from the incubator.

Good to hear that she was a good mama . Mine was hatches this year. She's only 6 months old and it's her first batch of eggs (11 total). She forages more than the others. Hopefully she makes a good mother too

 

[Hiram Means]

I had a quail go broody finally but it only hatched one. It's a good Mom though. I would definitely keep her separate or else the males might mess it up.