Hatching quail eggs with a hen!

[Just Don]

Hatching quail eggs with a hen like a Mille Fleur d'Uccle or any Barbu d’Uccle bantams!
I'd like to hatch my own but don't want to buy a incubator yet.
Mille hens are around a pound and 6 ounces and the quails are around a pound.
I don't know the comparison between quail eggs and Barbu d’Uccle bantams!
I was just wondering thanks y'all.
I do not know why it's writing black okay found it.

 

[Pennys Mama]

I think they would hatch out wonderfully, I would just have to separate them as soon as they hatched and brood them in a separate pen away from the other chickens. I would even pen up the broody hen in a safe nest with the eggs so others aren't climbing in/out of the nest everyday.

 

[JaeG]

Most hens don't recognise the quail eggs as eggs. You may need to use a bowl that's just big enough for the hen to sit in to keep the eggs under her and add some unfertilised chicken eggs or fake eggs too. Quail eggs are more delicate than chicken eggs so I second @Pennys Mama with regards to giving your broody a nest that other hens cannot access.

Brood them yourself because chickens act very differently towards their chicks than quail do (or would if they retained parenting instincts). Quail are a lot more needy and cuddly during the first week and a chicken just doesn't understand and wants to scratch around for tasty things to feed her chicks. She will end up kicking and trampling the quail chicks who are desperately trying to get close enough to warm up (I have tried).

 

[Just Don]

yes I'd separate them from other hens.
Even tho the type of breed Barbu d’Uccle bantams are so small hen might hurt the quail.

 

[Just Don]

I think they would hatch out wonderfully, I would just have to separate them as soon as they hatched and brood them in a separate pen away from the other chickens. I would even pen up the broody hen in a safe nest with the eggs so others aren't climbing in/out of the nest everyday.

Would you leave the hen with them? I only have the three bantams a rooster and 2 hens.

 

[Pennys Mama]

Would you leave the hen with them? I only have the three bantams a rooster and 2 hens.

I personally would separate them from her after they hatch just because they're so tiny. I'd put them into a brooder with light & heat source. The hen might be okay to leave with them, but most full grown quail aren't even a full pound, so I'd be afraid they might get squashed. Judgement call.

 

[nchls school]

Hatching quail eggs with a hen like a Mille Fleur d'Uccle or any Barbu d’Uccle bantams!
I'd like to hatch my own but don't want to buy a incubator yet.
Mille hens are around a pound and 6 ounces and the quails are around a pound.
I don't know the comparison between quail eggs and Barbu d’Uccle bantams!
I was just wondering thanks y'all.
I do not know why it's writing black okay found it.

This serama hen hatched and raised these cortunix chicks. When she showed signs of rejecting the very different colored quail eggs I added a couple WHITE dummy eggs. The hen promptly settled down on the nest and covered all the eggs; dummies and quail eggs. I have done this a couple times with two different hens; both times successfully.

 

[Just Don]

View attachment 2085432

This serama hen hatched and raised these cortunix chicks. When she showed signs of rejecting the very different colored quail eggs I added a couple WHITE dummy eggs. The hen promptly settled down on the nest and covered all the eggs; dummies and quail eggs. I have done this a couple times with two different hens; both times successfully.

That is great, Serama are about the same size as Barbu d’Uccle bantams I'd feel better having a hen do the brooding than me.. Thanks nchls school you made my day.

 

[Just Don]

nchls school how many eggs do you set for your hens

 

[nchls school]

That is great, Serama are about the same size as Barbu d’Uccle bantams I'd feel better having a hen do the brooding than me.. Thanks nchls school you made my day.

You're welcome. My serama weigh in between 8-13 ounces. Remember to add some white quail egg size dummy eggs with the quail eggs to put under the hen. I used Sculpey to make the dummies.