HELP!

[ButtonquailGirl14]

will a button quail hen sit on her eggs even if they are not going to hatch? it is the end of day 19 and still no sign of hatching. does she know if they are alive or dead? I would candle, but if I touch her eggs she will abandon the nest. PLEASE HELP!

(P.S) this is her first time, she is 4 months & 13 days old. and has been laying for a while.

Thanks!!!

 

[Sarah B.]

I've got no experience with Button Quail's but maybe they're just late? Are you sure the eggs are fertile? (do quails lay eggs if not fertile?)Has she showed any signs of disinterest, foul eggs or something similar? (Pushing eggs close to the border of her nest, going out for long periods, little care of the eggs themselves.

Has she hatched chicks before? If so how did she do?

If they've not hatched or pipped in two days I'd candle. Just put some gloves on and soak them in mud-water so they don't smell human.

Candle them and check their progress. If they are well-developed and healthy, quickly put them back. Make sure to be quick.

 

[DK newbie]

I've had button hens continue to sit without having anything hatch. I wouldn't give up just yet though. I have had buttons sitting for 21 days before hatching chicks. Maybe they are not sitting tight the first few days or maybe they just don't reach the optimum temp, but the chicks still hatched.

If you wait for the hen to leave the nest herself so it's not you scaring her away, then you can probably grab an egg, candle it and put it back without her abandoning the nest. I've done that with my buttons several times. It's kind of hard to properly candle button eggs though. An egg where light comes through all the way is either infertile or hasn't been incubated for more than a couple of days. A completely dark egg with just a small air pocket at the wide end is most likely good. A large air pocket in a dark egg might or might not be good.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I've got no experience with Button Quail's but maybe they're just late? Are you sure the eggs are fertile? (do quails lay eggs if not fertile?)Has she showed any signs of disinterest, foul eggs or something similar? (Pushing eggs close to the border of her nest, going out for long periods, little care of the eggs themselves.

Has she hatched chicks before? If so how did she do?

If they've not hatched or pipped in two days I'd candle. Just put some gloves on and soak them in mud-water so they don't smell human.

Candle them and check their progress. If they are well-developed and healthy, quickly put them back. Make sure to be quick.

The eggs should be fertile, all the ones I have cracked open were. this is her first time brooding. she has showed no signs of disinterest and sits on her eggs all day exept getting of twice a day to get a drink and some food, this usually takes abought 60 seconds. she keeps her eggs in the center of her nest at all times. this is why I am worried, because she is such a devoted mother. Thanks!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I've had button hens continue to sit without having anything hatch. I wouldn't give up just yet though. I have had buttons sitting for 21 days before hatching chicks. Maybe they are not sitting tight the first few days or maybe they just don't reach the optimum temp, but the chicks still hatched.

If you wait for the hen to leave the nest herself so it's not you scaring her away, then you can probably grab an egg, candle it and put it back without her abandoning the nest. I've done that with my buttons several times. It's kind of hard to properly candle button eggs though. An egg where light comes through all the way is either infertile or hasn't been incubated for more than a couple of days. A completely dark egg with just a small air pocket at the wide end is most likely good. A large air pocket in a dark egg might or might not be good.

Thanks! I am not giving up, This is day 20. I would try to candle. but she was setting before,and I had to clean out their tank with rubber gloves. I left the spot where her eggs were. but one rolled out. so I gently put is back. but she never touched the eggs again. she is very sensitive to people messing with her eggs. Thanks!

 

[DK newbie]

In my experience it's more likely that she left the eggs because of the cage cleaning than because you touched the egg. I stop cleaning the cage when my hens go broody for that very reason - it's too much of a disturbance. It changes the appearance of the cage and it takes longer than she'd usually be away from the eggs. But touching the eggs is no problem at all - at least not when I make sure they are all back in the nest by the time the hen is getting ready to return from feeding, pooping and preening.
Inexperienced hens are more sensitive to changes, so she might get more lax as she gets older.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

In my experience it's more likely that she left the eggs because of the cage cleaning than because you touched the egg. I stop cleaning the cage when my hens go broody for that very reason - it's too much of a disturbance. It changes the appearance of the cage and it takes longer than she'd usually be away from the eggs. But touching the eggs is no problem at all - at least not when I make sure they are all back in the nest by the time the hen is getting ready to return from feeding, pooping and preening.
Inexperienced hens are more sensitive to changes, so she might get more lax as she gets older.

Thanks! I Have not been cleaning it for that reason!