I have 2 older cockatiels, about 13 years old. The male is always going broody, trying to make a nest on the bottom of cage. The female has only laid eggs twice in her life, the eggs are never fertile and very small. The last time she laid was this spring, she laid 2 very small eggs and they sat on them after about a week, until I took them away. The time before was about 5 years ago, they also were very small eggs and not fertile. But they were dilegant about setting on them both times until I finally took them away.
I'm getting ready to hatch a few cortunix quail eggs in my incubator. But I thought about saving 2 out and seeing if the cockatiels will hatch them. I've seen a couple of post here on BYC about it but the post never seem to finish. One said they did it but never got a picture and the quail ended up dying had lice or something. I don't want my cockatiels to get lice or mites! Yikes! I'm thinking this persons cockatiels might have already had lice or mites, but they never said. Unless quail can have them before hatching from an egg?
My plan is, I put in a nest box with fake eggs and hopefully they both go broody If they do I will put in two quail eggs to replace the fake eggs. The female may not go broody since she didn't lay them. So this will be a mute point, if she doesn't. I realize she may lay a couple of her own too since a nestbox is put in the cage. But.. If they both go broody, Does anyone know what I would have to look out for? For instance, do quail carry Lice, mites ect.? What diseases or harm could happen from them hatching out the eggs? If they do hatch I will pull them out and put them in the brooder with the others quail chicks.
I'm posting this on the quail page instead of the cockatiel page since I'm wanting to know more about what diseases if any quail carry.
I read on here where some keep quail and cockatiels in the same aviary. So I'm thinking quail don't necessarily carry anything harmful they can pass to cockatiels especially from the egg stage?
Please let me know your thoughts other then, Please don't do it.
If you don't think it is a good idea to try this, please explain why.
Thanks in advance,
I'm getting ready to hatch a few cortunix quail eggs in my incubator. But I thought about saving 2 out and seeing if the cockatiels will hatch them. I've seen a couple of post here on BYC about it but the post never seem to finish. One said they did it but never got a picture and the quail ended up dying had lice or something. I don't want my cockatiels to get lice or mites! Yikes! I'm thinking this persons cockatiels might have already had lice or mites, but they never said. Unless quail can have them before hatching from an egg?
My plan is, I put in a nest box with fake eggs and hopefully they both go broody If they do I will put in two quail eggs to replace the fake eggs. The female may not go broody since she didn't lay them. So this will be a mute point, if she doesn't. I realize she may lay a couple of her own too since a nestbox is put in the cage. But.. If they both go broody, Does anyone know what I would have to look out for? For instance, do quail carry Lice, mites ect.? What diseases or harm could happen from them hatching out the eggs? If they do hatch I will pull them out and put them in the brooder with the others quail chicks.
I'm posting this on the quail page instead of the cockatiel page since I'm wanting to know more about what diseases if any quail carry.
I read on here where some keep quail and cockatiels in the same aviary. So I'm thinking quail don't necessarily carry anything harmful they can pass to cockatiels especially from the egg stage?
Please let me know your thoughts other then, Please don't do it.
If you don't think it is a good idea to try this, please explain why.
Thanks in advance,