Broody Quail - College Project

[JackBaker]

Hi! I think I have a broody coturnix quail. From all I've read it is supposed to be rare so I don't know if she will fully complete the process yet. Basically I got a pair of quail about two months ago. Turned out they were male and female. I thought I was getting two female. Was from a private seller and from an aviary outdoors which also housed breeding budgies and finches. I had them indoors for a week or so before moving them outside into a low aviavy. The female wasn't interested in the males advances. At Xmas my mum visited with her dogs and they scared the quails before I covered them and the male jumped and cut his head on the mesh. I was worried about infection so after my mum left I brought the quails indoors. They are currently living in a section of my kitchen floor! I have laid newspaper and a sand box and a box (open top) with hay. My female laid her first egg and they are regularly mating. I know it is due to being indoors, having more light as it is winter here. The males head is fine but it's been icy out so I have kept them indoors for warmth too. The first egg my quail laid in the hay I removed and added to my incubater as I have some mailed eggs to try to hatch. I felt bad taking her egg. I decided to see what she did if I didn't take any more. She just laid her 7th egg in the nest tonight and is now starting to sit on them.
The last week of laying I have noticed the behaviour of the male has been very good. He has sat on the eggs and appears to guard them and I've seen him adjusting the hay into more nest shape. He also sits over the female guarding her when she is laying an egg. They both check the eggs frequently esp is I have been close changing food or water bowls. The females appears to count the eggs tapping each with her beak when checking they are still there. So far no aggression to the male. Tonight she is doing the flattening out over the eggs thing but has got up for food/rest.
If I hadn't read that coturnix rarely hatch their own eggs I would say they are showing very lead indications of pair bonding and breeding.
It remains to be seen if she continues to sit and if she successfully hatches the eggs.
I like to think they are happy and that's why they (might) be brooding.
Food they have a game bird feed, chick feed, oyster shells, grit, meal worms and apples. The female has enjoyed a boiled chicken egg once too.

Thank you for responding to me. And this is awesome

please keep me posted on this as it would go very well with my research. If possible would you be interested in filling out a questionnaire for me? This would be great if you could, just PM me.

 

[Rabbitapril]

How interesting and fascinating. I'm am new to keeping quail and love my little birds, if they made more I would be pleased.

 

[crimsonmama]

Today my female laid her 8th egg in the nest. The male stands guard over them alot. The female is on and off sitting on them. Later this evening she aggressively chased the male around and pecked at him then he tried to grab her and mount her but she kept moving her body away like not interested hen before she was. I decided to move the male out and he's now upstairs and crowing lots! The female seemed worried about whats happened to him for about five minutes but has now been sitting on the eggs for three hours and it's night now so I presume she will sit all night too. I'm hoping without the male she will get some peace and stay sitting!

 

[JackBaker]

Today my female laid her 8th egg in the nest. The male stands guard over them alot. The female is on and off sitting on them. Later this evening she aggressively chased the male around and pecked at him then he tried to grab her and mount her but she kept moving her body away like not interested hen before she was. I decided to move the male out and he's now upstairs and crowing lots! The female seemed worried about whats happened to him for about five minutes but has now been sitting on the eggs for three hours and it's night now so I presume she will sit all night too. I'm hoping without the male she will get some peace and stay sitting!

I had to remove my male in the end as he was taking her off the nest and she became highly aggressive when ever he went near her. Hopefully she will stay sitting for you.

 

[crimsonmama]

I tried to put the male nearby to see if the female missed him but alas the word spitting venom comes to mind! That's how mad she was to see him! It's like she hates him! Will she accept him back again after hatching her eggs??

 

[DK newbie]

Probably not before the chicks have grown up. Apparently it's pretty normal for coturnix hens to chase the males off when they go broody. At least I read about a research project where the same thing happened.