Coturnix Quail is broody!

[Aeswim]

I have a female quail who has become broody. I’ve owned quail for about a year and a half and this is the first hen that has acted this way. She is sitting on her eggs daily and will only get up to eat and drink quickly then back to the box. Now I did take her eggs out and put fertile ones underneath her after I realized what she was doing. Only because she was only with females and those eggs weren’t fertile. I had a pen of only females to collect non fertile eggs. So now she’s sitting on these eggs, and I’m just waiting to see what happens. Has anyone had them actually hatch some? I’m curious to see if they will actually hatch and if she will be able to take care of them. I’ve seen some posts about it but not much on what happens or if they don’t hatch how long should I let her go on sitting? I have taken out all the other females since they all just seemed stressed since it’s about day 14 now of her sitting on them consistently. I’m not sure if she’s turning them or not.

 

[Nabiki]

Congratulations! You may want to have an incubator standing by on case she gets tired of sitting on them.

If she does hatch them, watch her and any others with her closely to see how they treat the chicks. Older hens are usually better mothers, but each bird has their own personality.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[Doriss]

A bit worried that adults walk on each other, and whether there will be enough space to prevent chicks getting crushed.

 

[calicocows]

keep us updated please! im hoping to do the same if i get a broody hen

 

[ArcticCuddlefish]

I also have broody coturnix quail and have been specifically angling for hens that can hatch their own eggs It seemed more reasonable to share on this thread than start a new one.

So we've been selecting for size, but more so for temperament in roos and hens alike. Once we had a girl who liked to sit occasionally (no committment) we aimed for her chicks in aprticular for successive generations. I've got NINE of my 28 girls currently who are working together to hatch these eggs, with 5 who really like to sit and 4 more who take turns but also act guard. I made a video about it, a few more things have happened.

Someone, I think one of the two boys, started eating the eggs. I think it was Snowball, because he now has a an injured eye and is staying away from there. They're down to only ten eggs, and we'd found a piece of shell from one of the marked eggs, mostly eaten and trampled. We have too many to relocate everyone, so we tried relocating the entire nest cave and sitting girls to a small enclosure inside the pen (too protect the chicks when they hatch, too) but they were too disturbed to sit. We put it all back and they went right back to sitting, thankfully.

One of the lost eggs got broken by me when we were collecting the other eggs (sorry hens!) and we took that in to see and it, too was developing phenomenally! It was absolutely on track with the ones in the incubator and I've seen the girls turning the eggs. This one's body was about the size and shape of a gummy bear with a long neck and those huge eyes. It was absolutely on track to become a chick at hatching time.

Today is the day I'm putting the incubator eggs down on lockdown, so sometime within the next week those eggs out there should be hatching!

All the other girls are still laying eggs in that nest hole, so I'm a little concerned about kicking the moms off the pipped babies to get the new eggs, but then again the developing eggs get pushed out and lose sometimes, so I can't just leave them for three days. Any advice on that front is most welcome <3

Did any of your hatch, @Aeswim ?

Here's my video:

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7234018047877500203

 

[ArcticCuddlefish]

Y'ALL THEY DID IT! I can't upload the video straight, but I'll make a thing and share it tomorrow!

 

[ArcticCuddlefish]

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRoPhJ7S/
Short compilation and details! One egg hatched 7 still cooking

 

[calicocows]

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRoPhJ7S/
Short compilation and details! One egg hatched 7 still cooking

Omg congrats! That’s exciting!

 

[Dmparrish]

Y'ALL THEY DID IT! I can't upload the video straight, but I'll make a thing and share it tomorrow!

This is amazing!!! I just looked up broody he s because I have one for the first time! I was wondering what to do with them when they hatch. I'd rather keep them with her if possible. Thank you for sharing the video!