Damn Quail!!!

[gwboolean]

I don't want to get rid of them. I want them to quit brooding (or even better, stop the egg production).

They are sitting on dummy eggs and they are not laying eggs anymore. But both of them should have given up by now. One of them has been on it for a month. (Their eggs usually hatch at about 2 weeks).

That is why I was wondering if my plan to just yank their nests is going to get me where I want to go?

I did that with their parents when we sold our place. They were all living outside in my aviary. These two have spent their whole lives inside and don't have any love for the out of doors.
Nah, I just have to figure out how to get their minds (and hormones) right.

 

[gwboolean]

I have to say, you don't sound like you enjoy having them. Maybe rehome these and get males.

I am not enjoying them now. That is why I am trying to figure out how to eliminate/mitigate the brooding problem.

 

[ShrekDawg]

@Kiki @muddy75

 

[Aunt Angus]

I am not enjoying them now. That is why I am trying to figure out how to eliminate/mitigate the brooding problem.

It's their nature as birds to lay eggs and want to brood them. You can't stop them. All you'll be able to do is end the broodiness once it starts. Sorry. I hope you can figure out a way to deal with that. But removing the nests might help stop the behavior. It will happen again, though, eventually.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Buttons are generally a bit more “wild” or flighty or whatever. Maybe you should rehome them and get some Coturnix? They may be a little bit calmer. Also, could it possibly be something they don’t like in their environment? I’m assuming they have food, water, enough hiding places, etc.? They might just be bored. Maybe you could try giving them some dirt for a dust bathe or other things to do. They should not just be screaming for no reason if all their needs are met I wouldn’t think but I’ve never had buttons.

 

[Ravenlover]

If thats what u want, take the dunny eggs out and each day they lay one egg just take it out and toss it in the trash and poof back to normal

 

[Kiki]

Button quail are nuts.
Remove the fake eggs.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I'd see if I could find another person to trade a female for a male with.

I'm not sure if they behave like coturnix quail. Now that spring is around the corner, my birds behavior is starting to change: they're becoming more territorial. Maybe if you reduced their hours of light to less than 10 they would stop laying. (Not sure how healthy that is for them in the long run though)

Also, keeping them busy is important. I was once ready to cull a chick because it was a problem -- kept pecking the beaks of other birds until they bled. Friend told me to give them distractions, and that worked.

 

[gwboolean]

Buttons are generally a bit more “wild” or flighty or whatever. Maybe you should rehome them and get some Coturnix? They may be a little bit calmer. Also, could it possibly be something they don’t like in their environment? I’m assuming they have food, water, enough hiding places, etc.? They might just be bored. Maybe you could try giving them some dirt for a dust bathe or other things to do. They should not just be screaming for no reason if all their needs are met I wouldn’t think but I’ve never had buttons.

They do have the best dust bath in the world and love using it.

Their behavior really is no different than almost any fowl. It's just that any fowl I previously had were to lay eggs. I never even thought about stopping egg laying with fowl. I know you cannot eliminate it, but I am sure that it can be mitigated.

 

[gwboolean]

I decided on the plan. I am going to remove their nests today and see how it all works out.

I will update anyone interested after I give a day to see how it goes.