Button Quail Eggs

[OneMountainAcres]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you've joined us! I hope your quail hatches for you

 

[DK newbie]

Hello, I'm new to this and have had my pair of buttons for a bit over 2 weeks. The hen has laid eggs and is sitting on them. Is there anything I can do to keep her broody? I did see them mate, but from what I read the quail don't have a high hatch rate. Thanks!

Bother her as little as possible - no cage cleaning, move food and water to the opposite end of the cage if possible so you don't get too close when changing it. If her nest seems 'exposed', perhaps try to give it a little extra cover (placing a dark towel on the outside of the cage where the nest is or move cage decoration a little closer to the nest for instance - do the changes when she's already left the nest to feed so it's not you that scares her of the nest) - though be careful not to do anything that'll freak her out.

I've had 100% hatches from my buttons, as well as 0% hatches. The bad hatches are easily explained though - usually the eggs are either too old, there are too may for the hen to cover or both. So if she can't cover all her eggs, snatch a couple when she's off the nest - that'll give the rest a better chance.

Good luck and

 

[Jacquie Button]

Howdy and
A really excellent read on the matter of button quail is: "A Closer Look at Button Quail". Amazon carries it but way too $$$$. Cutler's Supply has it for $24 plus change. Highly reccomend it.

Great! I've been wanting a book. Thanks!

 

[Jacquie Button]

Bother her as little as possible - no cage cleaning, move food and water to the opposite end of the cage if possible so you don't get too close when changing it. If her nest seems 'exposed', perhaps try to give it a little extra cover (placing a dark towel on the outside of the cage where the nest is or move cage decoration a little closer to the nest for instance - do the changes when she's already left the nest to feed so it's not you that scares her of the nest) - though be careful not to do anything that'll freak her out.

I've had 100% hatches from my buttons, as well as 0% hatches. The bad hatches are easily explained though - usually the eggs are either too old, there are too may for the hen to cover or both. So if she can't cover all her eggs, snatch a couple when she's off the nest - that'll give the rest a better chance.

Good luck and

Luckily the pair are quite tame and are getting more used to me with the help of mealworms for a treat. Both seem to be nesting on the eggs and they have an artificial plant for cover. Will the continue to mate even with a clutch of eggs? I just think it will be so exciting to have some hatch, I just am in love with these little guys! They are a tuxedo pied...(I believe...trying to learn as much as I can)

 

[Jacquie Button]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you've joined us! I hope your quail hatches for you

Thank you! Me too!

 

[El Rancherito]

Hello, i'm new to button quail and a proud grandpa of 5 button quail chicks. they were hatched naturally by their mother and now I'm not sure if i'm suppoesd to feed them or their mother is supposed to show them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

 

[007Sean]

Hello, i'm new to button quail and a proud grandpa of 5 button quail chicks. they were hatched naturally by their mother and now I'm not sure if i'm suppoesd to feed them or their mother is supposed to show them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

I would let the hen show them how their suppose to find food and water. If she doesn't, then I would intervene and raise them in a brooder.
I don't have any problem with them figuring out how to eat and drink. Just make sure their feed is ground very fine for the 1st couple of weeks. It also helps to have special water founts that are made for button quail, otherwise, try to make their waterer as "drown proof" as possible.

 

[DK newbie]

Luckily the pair are quite tame and are getting more used to me with the help of mealworms for a treat. Both seem to be nesting on the eggs and they have an artificial plant for cover. Will the continue to mate even with a clutch of eggs? I just think it will be so exciting to have some hatch, I just am in love with these little guys! They are a tuxedo pied...(I believe...trying to learn as much as I can)

They continue mating while brooding the eggs, yes. It's supposed to strengthen the pair bond. One of mine went broody under an artificial plant a couple of days ago as well. It's her 2nd time but the first time for the roo she's with so I hope he'll be good.
A couple of months ago a button hatched chicks at the pet shop I work at and the roo there couldn't figure out how to deal with the babies - he pecked them so we had to separate him. If your roo is brooding as well, hopefully his parenting instincts are strong.

 

[Jacquie Button]

He seems to be doing good, sits on the eggs and gives her mealworms. I tried to candle the eggs but they are to dark and I couldn't see or maybe didn't know what to look for. I just love the color. It's a really pretty green/blue.
I also have a pair of Society finches that have laid eggs...I think there is 4 but they never leave the nest alone so it's hard for me to tell for sure. Those eggs are so tiny! Then my little budgie friends seem to be in their nest box a lot, but no eggs yet.
I feel like I have my own pet store

 

[Jacquie Button]

Hello, i'm new to button quail and a proud grandpa of 5 button quail chicks. they were hatched naturally by their mother and now I'm not sure if i'm suppoesd to feed them or their mother is supposed to show them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

Hello and congrats! I hope they are thriving and doing well! Pictures are always nice so we can see their pretty colors!