Button Quail Hatch questions

[QuailMomma]

Ok so as i said in a diff post i have a momma button quail sitting on eggs. Today is day 16! I know they can take longer to hatch when momma sits but i was wondering if anyone knows the average time it might take. Also i have them in a cage and im not sure if the babies can escape through the bars, if im not home and they hatch do you think they will run all over the cage or do they tend to stay with mom? I have a tank i can move them too but if im not home i would have to lose them. I have plexi a few inches up from the bottom of the cage so the only way they can get through the bars is if they jump. I feel like a nervous relative sitting in a hospital waiting room waiting for baby news LOL.

 

[SavageChick]

Are you the one who posted a photo of her button named "Penny?" I have been wondering how things were going! The chicks shouldn't be able to jump that high the first few days, but I would plan on getting some type of better enclosure for them before they reach around 10 days of age. They can jump a surprising height by then, as their wings grow rapidly. There is a person here on these boards by the username "Stellar" (you can look up their user name here on these boards) who can give you lots of guidance with raising buttons and what to do with hen and chicks together. "GrandmaBird" is also another who has raised button quail and can give you some great info. Please share lots of photos/videos - I would love to see them, and read how everything goes with mom and chicks after hatching.

 

[QuailMomma]

Yes my hen is Penny. She is still doing great with sitting. I havent candled or anything cause im terrified of spooking her off the nest. She sat on another clutch before but after 7 days water spilled and i had to partially clean the cage and it spooked her enough to abandon the nest. I cracked a few open then and they were def fertile and developing.

Ill have a 55 gal tank so ill move them over to that once they "hopefully" hatch.

 

[SavageChick]

QuailMomma, any hatching activity happening yet?

 

[QuailMomma]

Nothing yet should I take them yet? She's still sitting.

 

[SavageChick]

I can't speak from experience, since I have not been fortunate enough to have my hen sit on her eggs, but I would leave her be. Looks like you're on Day 18 - still within the 16-20 days. I don't want to tell you what to do, but if it were me, I would leave her be, especially since she is sitting tight. Please keep us posted!

 

[Mwilliams32931]

Good luck! Hope to see some pics soon!

 

[GrandmaBird]

Leave her be until she gives up the nest or you risk her taking a long time to begin laying again. Sounds like she is doing a good job so just be patient. If the cage has plexi up the sides the chicks should be fine. If after they hatch you could add more plexi or even just some cardboard to the height of about 4 inches it would help.
Be careful and watch that mom or dad do not attack the chicks and harm or kill them you just never know. My pair would call to the chicks I hatched from their eggs but I never put them into the same enclosure. they were about 4 foot away from each others cages and would talk though. it was cute when the young males started calling the dad would call too.

good luck. and be sure to let us know when they hatch.

 

[QuailMomma]

When i fed them tonight Penny was distracted so i float tested one egg and it was moving!! Hoping they hatch soon!! When I put the egg back momma scooted it back under herself.

Thank you grandma bird for the advice. Ill attach some cardboard to make it a bit higher. Ohh fingers crossed!!

 

[GrandmaBird]

I forgot to add it might take up to 21 days for the hatch so just hang in there!