Quail gone broody :) :) :)

[Moonstripe]

Yes, she would sit on eggs in her dirt bath bin in her cage for days on end and I would let her sit on any that were under her since I figured that was her business and she looked so happy sitting in her clutch. She would usually get bored after a few days though. In December, we retired our old flock of chickens who had stopped laying and our chicken coop and run (about a 140 sq ft area) was vacant so I decided to give the quail a vacation home and let them stay there until we got our next flock. The quail are old and I was down to only one male and one female so I wasn't getting much for egg production anyway so when she started laying under the ramp to the coop, I just let her collect all the eggs under there and let her do her thing.

a few weeks later and here we are!

Well, that's pretty cool! How lucky. But I can't help but feel broodyness in quail may be slightly more common than we are aware. So many people just assume their quail will never set on their eggs, so they never leave the eggs in there... And not everyone keeps them in a semi-natural habitat.
But who knows.

Did she ignore the eggs until there were enough to sit on, or pay attention to the eggs right after laying the first one?

 

[Quail Jailer]

Geez, I have huge respect for the Amish, Mennonites Quakers and Shakers, I defend my post as absolutely non offensive.

I was referencing something that never happens and trying to keep a little humor.

Political correctness is killing this country.

So in short if I have offended you, tough.


PS. I prefer cordial, kind interaction but this is ridiculous.

 

[dc3085]

Let's return the thread to topic, lest the moderators close it down.

 

[joemorcos]

I have a quick question... I sometimes capture wild quail. They do lay eggs in captivity and hatch them as well. How long till they lose their instinct? I guess I could keep breeding them for a few decades (if I live that long) without having them lose their broody instinct. Any info on that?

 

[Quail Jailer]

I don't know Joe but I'd bet that any(wild) chick reared naturally by a hen would probably retain the instinct, no matter how many generations in captivity.

I think the Coturnix were removed from the natural process so long ago that the instinct has subsided,but it has not been totally lost because one in a million (figure of speech) will raise her own. she couldn't have "learned" the behavior..

Just my .02 cents

 

[dc3085]

It is a good thing everyone is speaking hypothetically. If someone were to capture wild quail that would be highly illegal without proper permitting.

 

[Quail Jailer]

Yeah, I thought about that but assumed it was legal wherever the poster that said it lives...

That's one of the reasons I'm clueless about wild birds, here where I live they'll put me under the jail for trapping ANYTHING that is not on the fur bearers list.

As yet I have been unsuccessful with my quail/mink hybrids....


(yes my skull is filled with pudding)

 

[dc3085]

I think the biggest problem you'd have with that hybrid is keeping them from eating themselves lol

 

[Quail Jailer]

Yes, but the Quink is going to be one stylish mammird or is it birammal?

 

[MsgJack]

I believe is because of the genes. This special cortunix had a clutch raised by its mother so is possible with a good habitat the clutche's females to go broody too. If so the there is a good chance to start growing broody cortunix. But anyway this will give no profit to the owner.