My Japanese quail have gone broody!

[spikennipper]

I have 7 Japanese quail, 1 male and 6 females and 1 of the females has decided to set on 6 eggs in the hutch! she is only 9 or 10 weeks old herself and just started to lay, even more suprising is when she leaves the nest two other female quail will also attempt to brood the eggs!

she has been doing this since Monday so whether she carries this full term is another story but I shall keep you all informed!

 

[Emilys3guppies]

That's awesome! You'll have to keep us posted cause thats almost unheard of.

 

[JJMR794]

Sweet! An Incubator That Doesnt Run Up The Electric Bill--- I Need A Few Of Those! Good Luck With 'em!

 

[spikennipper]

Hey! just an update! she hatched 4 beautiful chicks today

After the sadness of losing all my chickens and quail to my ferrets a week ago she was the lucky one to survive as she decided to go broody! there is still 2 eggs that haven't hatched so fingers crossed! will post pics in a few days as don't want to stress her to much at this stage.

 

[Highland Moongazer]

That is so rare and awesome!

Do quail have the broody patch and everything?

 

[shelleyd2008]

That is sool!! I have one hen (could be more than one, they all look alike

) that will sit on the eggs if I leave them in there too long, but I still get 8 eggs most days (from 8 hens), so I don't think she is actually broody. I would think that quail would stop laying if they are broody, like chickens do. Though I don't know if quail would stop laying, given that I take the eggs. Maybe I'll leave some in there and see what she does

Definitely need pics on this, it has got to be the cutest thing!

 

[Bettacreek]

My one pen had a broody coturnix. I however never left eggs in there to be hatched to see if they would set full term.

 

[deerman]

Most will go broody if large enought room, and nice place to hide their nest. Cant gather the eggs.

Watch her with other birds, she may not be able to protect them.

Had, coturnix, bobwhites, even ringneck pheasant all hatch their own.