Questions on Quail, and male laying on eggs?

[Verizon]

I have some questions about managing quail...

About 4-5 months ago I completed my quail coop, and I've have three(now two) quail in it(one male and and two female) They've been really active, feed well, have clean water with my watering system that I built. I've had some issues though...

1. One of the female quails died, but looked really healthy, until I checked her in the morning(roughly 2 month ago), and that made me really sad. I had gotten a discount on her though due to missing a toe, so I think something was definitely wrong?

2. The last female quail is laying a lot of eggs, currently around 10-15 within the last couple weeks) in their nest they built with weeds in a small hole in a corner. I've left the eggs alone as the quail appear to be moving them around, and I don't want to upset them since they get scared if I put my hand within two feet of them. It's summer, and in the shade its around 80F-95F outside.

3. The weirdest part is the male has been laying on the eggs frequently on and off, and the female lays on them only occasionally.

4. They were not laying very much a little while ago after a huge batch, and I even tried putting some eggs under chickens who went broody, and was working perfect until she started crushing some.

5. Are quail really too domesticated to handle their own eggs, and should I just throw the eggs straight into the incubator? I have some fertile eggs in my own custom incubator right now, but was hoping for the quail to do it naturally.


I was hoping on some insight from others, thanks!

 

[dc3085]

I have some questions about managing quail...

About 4-5 months ago I completed my quail coop, and I've have three(now two) quail in it(one male and and two female) They've been really active, feed well, have clean water with my watering system that I built. I've had some issues though...

1. One of the female quails died, but looked really healthy, until I checked her in the morning(roughly 2 month ago), and that made me really sad. I had gotten a discount on her though due to missing a toe, so I think something was definitely wrong?
Rats chew their toes off when they are in breeding batteries so thats most likely why she came to you without a toe. I doubt that was what killed her since these things lose toes all the time and live full lives despite.

She could have been egg bound, prolapsed, had a heart attack or even been infected with a poultry disease. Without sending her out for a necropsy you'll never know.

2. The last female quail is laying a lot of eggs, currently around 10-15 within the last couple weeks) in their nest they built with weeds in a small hole in a corner. I've left the eggs alone as the quail appear to be moving them around, and I don't want to upset them since they get scared if I put my hand within two feet of them. It's summer, and in the shade its around 80F-95F outside.

YOu have like one chance in a million that they will do anything with the eggs. Cage raised quail don't go broody. Literally like once in a million it might happen.

3. The weirdest part is the male has been laying on the eggs frequently on and off, and the female lays on them only occasionally.

Don't read too much into it. In the years I've been doing this I've seen one coturnix hatch eggs. One.

4. They were not laying very much a little while ago after a huge batch, and I even tried putting some eggs under chickens who went broody, and was working perfect until she started crushing some.

Chickens carry several diseases that they are resistant to but are fatal to quail. You should practice biosecurity between your chickens and quail. Diseases like coryza, blackhead, and MG are common in chickens and can't be accurately tested for. Any of those diseases can wipe out a whole flock of quail.

5. Are quail really too domesticated to handle their own eggs, and should I just throw the eggs straight into the incubator? I have some fertile eggs in my own custom incubator right now, but was hoping for the quail to do it naturally.
You can try to re-invent the wheel if you think it'll work for you. Otherwise just throw them in the incubator.


I was hoping on some insight from others, thanks!

PS there are around 10 commonly raised types of quail please include what species they are in your questions. I'm assuming coturnix but some of the info I gave may not apply if they are a different species.

 

[Verizon]

Sorry about that, they are Mexican speckled bobwhite quail.