VERY broody Cotournix quail

[Florence NightingQuail]

So, one of my Cotournix has gone 100% broody. I have 6 females and 1 male on an open ground Quaviary. They have all been laying like clockwork ever since I got rid of the excess males. Then we noticed that all of a sudden, all the eggs were appearing in one corner of one nesting box, instead of all over the place like usual. Now we realise this blonde hen is pushing them all into that corner and settling down on them. She gets very upset when we push her off them to collect them. We feel kind of bad about it - should we be letting her try to hatch a batch? Or should we lay some pebbles down in that corner for her to sit on until this phase passes? What will happen if, by some remote long shot, she actually DOES hatch some?? Will the other adult quails peck them to death? I thought this never happens?

 

[Kale the Quail]

@Nabiki

 

[Quaicken108]

So, one of my Cotournix has gone 100% broody. I have 6 females and 1 male on an open ground Quaviary. They have all been laying like clockwork ever since I got rid of the excess males. Then we noticed that all of a sudden, all the eggs were appearing in one corner of one nesting box, instead of all over the place like usual. Now we realise this blonde hen is pushing them all into that corner and settling down on them. She gets very upset when we push her off them to collect them. We feel kind of bad about it - should we be letting her try to hatch a batch? Or should we lay some pebbles down in that corner for her to sit on until this phase passes? What will happen if, by some remote long shot, she actually DOES hatch some?? Will the other adult quails peck them to death? I thought this never happens?

A broody coturnix quail for some people is 1 in a million. Personally I’d try to hatch some lil cuties out! If she happens to hatch some out you could try to see the reaction of the others while you‘re supervising but I’d move them out so she doesn’t have to worry about the others. My friend had one go broody and hatch out 10 chicks from 12 eggs! How many is she sitting on? Hope all goes well!

 

[Florence NightingQuail]

Well, half an hour ago she had rounded up 4 to sit on, but there’s 2 more to come for the day’s total. So its a fair bet that by end of day, it’ll be 6. If I leave them, I wonder if she’ll round up tomorrow’s 6 as well? End up sitting on all 12? I am kind of intrigued about how she’ll go..... maybe I’ll let it be and see what happens?

 

[Florence NightingQuail]

Ok, now she’s on 6 eggs, as expected. She’s committed, too - I threw all their favourite things in there to see if she would be lured by flights of fancy : clover, mealworms, jacaranda flowers, honeysuckle, rockmelon.... the most she did was emerge to grab a couple of flowers in her beak and hustle them back to her little nest for decoration! I guess I owe it to her to follow her instinct

 

[Nabiki]

Mark the eggs you want to let her keep. Have an incubator ready in case she gives up, but I would let her try.

 

[kelzey]

you should keep us updated on what happens! i’d love to see the result

 

[Ebony Rose]

Absolutely! Mark the eggs that you'll let her sit and pull the rest from her daily. If she gives up mid-brood, scoop them up and put them into an incubator. Good luck! A rare broody quail is a treasure!

 

[Florence NightingQuail]

Ok, I’ll be sure to update you all on how she goes - we are just coming into summer here in Australia, so temps are hitting around 30degC. I‘m guessing this will help her chances of success, as normal temps are in the realm of incubator temps. It’ll be interesting to see what happens, at any rate!

 

[Florence NightingQuail]

OH NO! I’ve just done my calculations and realised that if she does hatch successfully, these chicks will be popping out over the 4 days that we are away interstate! I won’t be around to assist any hatches, or police the group’s attitude towards the newborns.... never mind putting chick-friendly water bowls in there and ground crumble for them! I don’t know if I can let this proceed now... a neighbour has agreed to come check and fill the quail’s main water dispenser every day while we’re gone, but we can’t expect her to do everything involved with wrangling newborns!