Incubating quail eggs under pigeons

[SunnyAlberta]

I adopted a pair of Show Kings that are supposedly infertile. They just laid an egg and started sitting. I added six Corturnix eggs to the one pigeon egg and the boy left the nest, called the girl and she took over sitting. They seem to be alright with this arrangement. I'm not going to toss away the pigeon eggs, just in case they are fertile. Any other tips? I know that if any quail hatch they'll have to be brooded away from the pigeons.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I think you got every thing covered (pun intended).
Good luck on your hatch!

Keep us posted.

 

[laughingdog]

I used to brood cortnix quail eggs and babies witth my white ringnecks. they were lighter and gentler and would chase trying to cover and feed, eventually they'd eat some food fosters dropped and get idea to eat as foid was reguerged. my white ringnecks were show stock from winning parents and pdetty stupid and would brood too big a poop. there is an article local of famous blind man that does this to make money cheap, were think got the idea. Heraised cortnix and bobwhite i think.

 

[donne]

One of my friends once put a chicken egg under a pair of sitting pigeons and in 21 days it hatched. Unfortunately it had to be taken from the pair because it did not want any of there milk and it just about fell out of its next box.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

My pigeons have kicked the quail eggs out of their nest.

They are sitting on two of their own eggs. Despite being told they were an infertile pair, one egg is definitely incubating. I don't know how much later the second egg was laid; I'll try candling it again in a couple of days and see if it is growing, too, or if I need to toss it out.

So much for the idea of raising quail. I suppose this makes me a pigeon fancier, versus the backyard quail farmer I wanted to be.

 

[donne]

Maybe replace the second egg if not its fertile with a quail egg. Then if it hatches when your pigeons lay there second batch switch out one of your pigeon eggs again with another quail egg.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

Donne, that's a terrific idea! Thanks!

 

[laughingdog]

You probly need collard or ring neck doves to do a lot of incubating of quial eggs, or replace as soon as new hen lays. or get OEGB (Old English Game Bantams) hens, or similar tiny chicken banty breed broody type. my Belgium D'uccles are saught after for beauty, broodiness, and roosters tiny size with tiny crow, as opposed to loud silkie, cochin, and OEGB cocks are (OEGB cocks are louder than standards for some reason). as had my d'uccle cock crowing for months in middle city apt complex, and no one heard or said anything even with windows open and when had out on lawn neighbors thought parekeet pair and not belived was chickens), or could try seramas though don't know anything personally about those. cpurse you don't need roosters to foster eggs under hens at all.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

Chickens and ducks are illegal here. That's why I have pigeons and quail.