Hatching Coturnix Quail with Broody Chicken

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks. Hm, I don't know. I ordered these eggs and the seller never mentioned it. I still have the receipt that came with them too. I only need a permit if I sell or release them, or have more than 30 is my understanding.

I think in VA we have to have a permit just to keep them. I’ll look into it

It varies by state I’m pretty sure. I think we need a permit here too.

 

[FortCluck]

Thanks. Hm, I don't know. I ordered these eggs and the seller never mentioned it. I still have the receipt that came with them too. I only need a permit if I sell or release them, or have more than 30 is my understanding.

Yes we need a permit in VA to keep them. Every state is different though. I don’t need it for Coturnix though

 

[FortCluck]

It varies by state I’m pretty sure. I think we need a permit here too.

Here’s what we need permits for just to raise them

 

[ShrekDawg]

Here’s what we need permits for just to raise them

View attachment 2257435

Oh dang!!! so does that mean you’d need a permit if you wanted get mallards then? Or would they be invasive not native? Lol

 

[FortCluck]

Oh dang!!! so does that mean you’d need a permit if you wanted get mallards then? Or would they be invasive not native? Lol

Mallards live here so they are native

 

[ShrekDawg]

Mallards live here so they are native

Huh, interesting. I figured everybody could have those lol

 

[JaeG]

I have used bantam hens to hatch 2 lots of quail eggs. The first hen only hatched 2 chicks (because our quail were old and fertility wasn't good). If you are going to leave them with your hen you'll have to monitor them constantly in the first week. Our second hen we only used to hatch the chicks - we brooded the chicks because it is a lot of work to monitor a hen and ensure chicks aren't hurt or left to chill.

In the first week quail chicks are extremely delicate and needy, unlike independent chicken chicks. Some hens don't understand and act like they would for chicken chicks, moving around a lot, scratching for food. Quail chicks cannot keep up with all this and can get kicked or trampled as they try to cuddle with the hen. Outside even in a relatively small area a quail chick is at risk of chilling and dying because the hen doesn't understand that they need to be kept a lot warmer than a chicken chick. Any time the hen gets up to scratch about you need to remove her from the chicks or vice versa. By the time quail chicks are a week old they are more independent and able to keep up with the hen, but in that first week a chicken needs a lot of support to be successful raising them.

The lady whose video you saw there has lots of information about her experiences on her website. She stresses the importance of a broody who is experienced in raising chicks and who will stop and sit when necessary.
"Quail need a mother hen who has an excellent understanding of and is quick to notice changes in behaviour. Some mothers are very good at finding food but a quail 'mother' needs to be equally good at recognising the moment the quail need to go back under her for warmth and rest. She needs to stop foraging and 'sit', not all hens are good at this."

It is well worth reading through her blog: https://holistic-hen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_27.html#.XxjPeZviuUn

Quail are very different with their chicks. I've had a lot of parent raised Button quail and they act very differently, and the two parent birds both have very different roles. The quail hen stays with the majority of the group and any quail chicks that get too far from the group are rounded up by the cock bird. He will warm up the chick/s before guiding it back to the main group. They really work as a team. There are moments of feeding, but the majority of the time the chicks cuddle with the parents.

This is our Elsa with her two quail chicks.

 

[orloffer]

Just sometimes when I give them their one on one time, and sometimes I'll get a handful of mealworms and hold my gand in the brooder for them. Offer sand first of course, most all other grit is too big in my experience for them. Also, brooding in a clear box or wire cage makes them much tamer than in a colored or solid box for some reason. I also have tamer birds when using a MHP for heat as opposed to a heat lamp.

I used a wire cage brooder with a heat plate.

 

[FortCluck]

I have used bantam hens to hatch 2 lots of quail eggs. The first hen only hatched 2 chicks (because our quail were old and fertility wasn't good). If you are going to leave them with your hen you'll have to monitor them constantly in the first week. Our second hen we only used to hatch the chicks - we brooded the chicks because it is a lot of work to monitor a hen and ensure chicks aren't hurt or left to chill.

In the first week quail chicks are extremely delicate and needy, unlike independent chicken chicks. Some hens don't understand and act like they would for chicken chicks, moving around a lot, scratching for food. Quail chicks cannot keep up with all this and can get kicked or trampled as they try to cuddle with the hen. Outside even in a relatively small area a quail chick is at risk of chilling and dying because the hen doesn't understand that they need to be kept a lot warmer than a chicken chick. Any time the hen gets up to scratch about you need to remove her from the chicks or vice versa. By the time quail chicks are a week old they are more independent and able to keep up with the hen, but in that first week a chicken needs a lot of support to be successful raising them.

The lady whose video you saw there has lots of information about her experiences on her website. She stresses the importance of a broody who is experienced in raising chicks and who will stop and sit when necessary.
"Quail need a mother hen who has an excellent understanding of and is quick to notice changes in behaviour. Some mothers are very good at finding food but a quail 'mother' needs to be equally good at recognising the moment the quail need to go back under her for warmth and rest. She needs to stop foraging and 'sit', not all hens are good at this."

It is well worth reading through her blog: https://holistic-hen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_27.html#.XxjPeZviuUn

Quail are very different with their chicks. I've had a lot of parent raised Button quail and they act very differently, and the two parent birds both have very different roles. The quail hen stays with the majority of the group and any quail chicks that get too far from the group are rounded up by the cock bird. He will warm up the chick/s before guiding it back to the main group. They really work as a team. There are moments of feeding, but the majority of the time the chicks cuddle with the parents.

This is our Elsa with her two quail chicks.
View attachment 2257492View attachment 2257493View attachment 2257494

Mine will be fine. The food and water are right in the coop part of the prefab. She will take great care of them I have no doubts about it.

I have a 2 day old quail already outside off heat with my 1 week old quail. It’s doing perfectly fine. I live in an area where it’s nice and warm this time of year. No heaters are needed. The days are 100+

I also have a brooder plate I can use because I have electricity that runs out to my chicken run and all the coops.

 

[MGG]

Mallards live here so they are native

You're not even allowed to have the domesticated pinioned ones? What if you ordered some from a hatchery? Weird.