coturnix chicks just hatched by broody little hens:)

[irisshiller]

Hi, I just had to share this! My coturnix quail decided to go broody and actually hatched chicks today

We were told that they would never hatch their own chicks and I've read many stories about how difficult it us to get them to brood, so I counted on always having to hatch them in an incubator. But these two little hens decided to break the law

 

[DK newbie]

Awesome! Congratulations!

Could you post a picture showing what kind of enclosure they are in? I only have buttons and mine actually seem to brood too much - I have 15 small chicks running around right now, and 6 older ones, hope I'll be able to sell them - but I'm curious as to what kind of setup the more difficult quail might incubate under.
Looks like two hens are incubating? Did they start at the same time or was one inspired by the other? Are they the only hens in the enclosure?

 

[irisshiller]

Thanks! I'm so pleased! They started sitting a couple of times before but always gave up after a few days and never hatched anything. This is the first time they actually kept at it until the end. Mostly these two females have been sitting, sometimes one of the males or another female joined them for a while. They are in a big cage/run with 3 males and 11 females. I added hiding places and branches and stuff so they would feel happy and secure, but I think what made the difference this time is that I left them alone completely. I didn't touch the eggs even if they had too many, I just left them to it. I went in only to feed. The coop is quite dirty by now, but I didn't dare do anything about it! Last time they abandoned the eggs because I caused a disturbance by cleaning the chicken coop next to them!

Little button babies must be extremely cute! Can't imagine how tiny they would be! Post some pictures

I will try to find some pictures of the set up, I'm sure I have some somewhere.





OK these two pictures are old! Anyway the quail cages are tucked in the back behind the duck pond and the bamboo. Since then, I have close the back of the cages (3 sides are open) and added more branches, boxes etc. The quail live in 2 interconnecting cages/runs of about 2x2 metres each.

 

[The Quail Guru]

I actually have buttons who hatch out a lot of chicks and have just bought a female and male coturnix. I'm hoping that they will become broody so I can have some chicks. The female has already settled in and is laying eggs.

 

[irisshiller]

Ok first lesson... chickens fon't have a problem eating newly hatched quail chicks :/ 2 slipped through the fence, 1 had the leg eaten off him by a chicken! Bloodthirsty carnivores. And here I was worrying about the cat! Fortunately I could save the second. Now fixed the fence! There are 6 now but maybe more will hatch. One of the mums got up but the other is still sitting. Male helps! I closed those 3 with the babies in 1 half of the cage.

 

[Jrose]

Ok first lesson... chickens fon't have a problem eating newly hatched quail chicks

2 slipped through the fence, 1 had the leg eaten off him by a chicken! Bloodthirsty carnivores. And here I was worrying about the cat! Fortunately I could save the second. Now fixed the fence! There are 6 now but maybe more will hatch. One of the mums got up but the other is still sitting. Male helps! I closed those 3 with the babies in 1 half of the cage.

Ravenous heathens! I'm so sorry I love my chickens, but nothing is sacred to them. I'd laugh, but the moment is inappropriate! I learned never to dispatch or butcher a chicken when my chickens are running around...

 

[quail arizona]

My coturnix female just hatched 2 chicks. Unfortunately the dogs got one of them but I still have one. Good luck to you

 

[Lozuufy]

That's so cool! I have a female that I put in with my baby quails (after I hatch them in the bator) because she will keep them warm and show them where food is. So far she has raised 8 babies (all at one time) and I'm hoping some of the females will go broody and hatch out some eggs. I also have a couple males that love sitting on eggs but will get bored after a couple hours lol, and so far nothing has hatched. Oh yeah, chickens will eat ANYTHING, ours have caught and eaten mice and once they tried to catch a squirrel I raised and released, luckily she got away (and chattered angrily at them from a tree) but it was kinda funny watching chickens chase a squirrel.

 

[DK newbie]

Baby buttons are very tiny, yes ^^ Like twice the size of a bumblebee. Not the best pics, but here goes:



A few days later:


A few days ago:


Looks like you have a really nice set up. And I want a duck pond too now ^^

Too bad about the one the chickens got. Hope the rest are doing well! And interesting that daddy helps, so does my button roo but it seems that is not always the case.

 

[irisshiller]

That is so sweet , thanks for those pics! I think I might need some button quail next!

Yeah chickens are fairly bloodthirsty aren't they! I have also seen them hunting mice and snakes (why I thought I needed a cat, I don't know!) And someone told me once her chickens had gobbled up a nest full of baby bunnies. Horror!!

We got 12 baby chicks in the end! The parents take great care of them, I love to see them! They get up to all sorts of trouble though! This morning I found one stuck with his head in the hardware cloth! I had to cut him loose, fortunately he's ok. They're just so tiny!

So it seems that sometimes coturnix quail do go broody if they feel safe enough? Or does it have more to do with genetics maybe? Wondering if these chicks will also hatch out their own later!

Will try to upload some pics...