Incubating quail and chickens together.

[taraann81]

My incubator is full at the moment but when its empty, I plan on taking it to work (a nursing home) and setting it up there for our residents to enjoy.

I thought it would be fun to have a variety of different things hatching for them to enjoy.

I was going to set chicken eggs and now that I have buttons I thought "wow wouldn't the residents love that" and I could set them 5 days later so they would all be set to hatch on the same day.

Would the size difference be too much for a safe hatch? I could also set the quail only 4 days after the chickens so they are up and running before the chicks hatch and be able to get out of teh way?

This is my hope but if it is too risky for the buttons I will just hatch chickens.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If your bator is forced air (with fan) it should be fine. You want to set them so they all hatch together, or the buttons hatch well before the chickens do. You don't want to be opening it during 'lockdown'. Buttons are pretty good at getting out of the way, I don't think that would be a problem.

 

[Patti's_Pets]

I know it's not exactly what you asked but I have hatched buttons and coturnix together and it worked fine. No problems in the incubator and I separated into separate brooders as soon as they came out of the incubator. The buttons also are very quick little critters as soon as they come out of the egg.

I think your idea of taking the incubator to the seniors home for them to see is a lovely thing to do. Hope it all goes fantastic for you and all enjoy.

 

[darkfur]

I hatch coturnix and chicks together all the time without problems. The coturnix like to sleep on top of the chicks. The only time I have ever had issues is doing ducklings with coturnix as the ducklings are a bit clumsy and trip over them. I have a button with coturnix at the moment which is doing fine, he's very fast and gets out of their way. The only issue I could see being a problem is watering them if you brood them together, in terms of making sure whatever you use doesn't drown the buttons but provides enough water for the chicks

 

[smallbluejellybean]

Here is my waterer. I think it would be big enough for any size chick and its drown proof. Tested it with my buttons. Its cheap and easy to make. The wire is 7mm rustproof mouse wire. It holds enough water to last 48 hours in Aussie heat.

I have one in my brooder and one in the aviary ready for them to hatch in there.
Its deeper than it looks because the wire only droops down so far. This also was when it was half empty. I filled it today and even put some new hatchlings in there - no problem.

 

[farrier!]

Not only do I hatch quail and chickens together I also do staggered hatches. I have great hatch results and it is a lot more fun having chicks every few days....

 

[taraann81]

Thanks guys. My incubator is forced air. I was just worried about the size difference. They won't be brooded together, Just hatched together and then the whole thing chicks and all will be brought home and the buttons and chicks will be seperated into their own brooders.

I do staggered hatches all the time. But I have a second incubator I use as a hatcher but i won't be bringing that with me too work so I want them to hatch altogether.

I had originally thought that I would like to set duck eggs and then chicken eggs a week later and then button eggs 5 days after that. But none of my ducks are laying yet(I know some say they require different humidities but I have had ducks and chickens hatch together many times, sometimes with 100% hatch rates) But it sounds like maybe the ducks are too big and clumsy to safely hatch with buttons.

 

[Bil]

I hatched chickens and coturnix together this last year and I was worried about the quail. Well, it turns out my bully was one of the quail. The chickens would be huddled in the corner trying to get away from this little guy. Once they went in separate brooders all was good.

 

[Eagle2026]

Hatching game birds and chickens is one of my specialties.
I have been doing it for years.

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT!
Mike