coturnix chicks just hatched by broody little hens:)

[irisshiller]

My 6 year old is totally in love with them Cage is a bit dirty, didn't dare cleaning for the last 17 days or so

 

[DK newbie]

They sure are cute
The instances of incubating cots I've heard of, have usually been living in aviaries, a few in large cages.. I guess it's important that they have plenty of room to move about, are not too crowded, have good nesting sites(apparently a bucket or whatever it is yours are using qualifies) and of course it's no good if the eggs are removed - I guess people that have them in normal hardware cloth bottom cages usually have them for the eggs, and remove the eggs on a daily basis, so even if they wanted too, they never get a chance to go broody in those cages. I actually suspect that many coturnix still have the instincts to hatch their own chicks, they are just placed in an environment that doesn't promote the instinct. And even when placed in the right environment, it might take quite a while for them to get in the mood. But I've never had them, so I haven't had a chance to put it to the test.

 

[Jrose]

The few accounts I've read about broody coturnix have been in fairly natural settings- brush piles, tall grass, safe, cozy, roomy. I think it's more to do with happiness and 'is it worth raising babies where I'm at?"

 

[irisshiller]

I should add that I've had these quail for about a year now... they seemed reasonably happy in the beginning but never tried to brood. At some point I hatched a few eggs in my incubator and got 5 little chicks. When they were fully feathered but still smaller than the others, I put them with the older ones. After that, the older ones really seemed to perk up, they were very interested in the young ones and took care of them. The cage seemed to be much more alive, lots of chattering and crowing and more eggs! They just seemed much happier. Then after a few months, they went broody But I'm not entirely sure if it's the older or the younger quail who went broody. I can't really tell them apart...