Coturnix Quail Basics- Information and Pictures Galore

[hosspak]

Do you have to put anything over the wire mesh in the incubator after you take them out of the turner for them to hatch on?

I am not an expert but everything I read says no.

Post your results though I am putting about 20 eggs in the incubator tonight.

I use the non skid rubber stuff like they use on Futon beds. They need something to walk on so they don't get splayed legs and if you have the usual wire mesh their legs will get tangled up and lose toes.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Id be sure al the plugs were removed. I would also test my hydrometer before I trusted it. They are generally wrong..... here is a simple test.....

http://www.wikihow.com/Test-a-Hygrometer

 

[WV Farm girl]

Looking for some true Jumbo Courtnix eggs to incubate. Any available?

 

[HunterH]

Looking for some true Jumbo Courtnix eggs to incubate. Any available?

Got mine from James Marie Farms...12-15g eggs, very happy with them.

 

[Lobzi]

I have a young quail pair who started mating and finally producing fertile eggs. One hatched this morning. I keep the pair inside at night in a pet carrier but during the day they have a pen outside with a more natural environment for them. Id like to know when it might be safe to put the babies that hatch in with the adult pair. Im expecting more to hatch over the next couple of weeks but I should not have more than 10 babies at the end of the incubator hatch.

 

[hosspak]

I have a young quail pair who started mating and finally producing fertile eggs. One hatched this morning. I keep the pair inside at night in a pet carrier but during the day they have a pen outside with a more natural environment for them. Id like to know when it might be safe to put the babies that hatch in with the adult pair. Im expecting more to hatch over the next couple of weeks but I should not have more than 10 babies at the end of the incubator hatch.

Always remember Cots can be brutal to smaller and weaker birds. I wait until 5/6 weeks before putting them together. Secondly, remember that when you put them together they will start mating with one another as well as with their parents and you really don't wont too many generations of inbreds... I suggest keep the males/females separated until you can find a couple of different blood lines, then you can keep the breeding pairs together for a month or so, then switch mates around to mix up bloodlines and maybe even work on different color patterns.

 

[Lobzi]

Yes, I can see a weakening happen with inbreeding. Im currently having problems with my chickens possibly due to 5 years of inbreeding. So Im considering getting another quail variety...any ideas. What kinds can mate with coturnix?

 

[dc3085]

Yes, I can see a weakening happen with inbreeding. Im currently having problems with my chickens possibly due to 5 years of inbreeding. So Im considering getting another quail variety...any ideas. What kinds can mate with coturnix?

You will most likely never inbreed your quail to a point that you will notice it. Quail genetics are very forgiving regarding inbreeding. There is a study around somewhere that shows 17 consecutive line bred generations before any real hatchability/fertility issues developed. I've intentionally line bred for several generations without seeing anything beyond a slightly decreased hatch rate.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Yes, I can see a weakening happen with inbreeding. Im currently having problems with my chickens possibly due to 5 years of inbreeding. So Im considering getting another quail variety...any ideas. What kinds can mate with coturnix?

If you plan to cross, coturnix have many different colors. Most common are Red, Tuxedo, A&M, Golden and Brown (the "wild original" color).As far as other types like Bobwhite I can't answer that, I only keep coturnix.

 

[Lobzi]

OK, well thank you for that. Obviously Im just starting out on quail keeping and actually Im not planning on dong a whole lot with it I just wanted to try coturnix quail as pets. Im hoping the offspring which I will raise will be more friendly to me than the pair I bought as nearly mature.