Who else has buttonquail???

[Ladybird CA]

some thoughts on why they might not hatch..are they kept indoors? If not I wonder if they heat or humidity outdoors is affecting anything although it shouldn't because most birds hatch their eggs outdoors. Are they getting a lot of calcium? Do you think it may have caused the eggs to be too hard to break through? Are the parents closely related? Perhaps it could cause the offspring to be too weak to hatch? Are the parents fed a high protein diet?

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

some thoughts on why they might not hatch..are they kept indoors? If not I wonder if they heat or humidity outdoors is affecting anything although it shouldn't because most birds hatch their eggs outdoors. Are they getting a lot of calcium? Do you think it may have caused the eggs to be too hard to break through? Are the parents closely related? Perhaps it could cause the offspring to be too weak to hatch? Are the parents fed a high protein diet?

so Q #1: yes, i have them indoors. Q #2:she has free access to oyster shells. should she not? Q #3: i have no clue on the parents, i shipped hatching eggs from Florida off ebay, i told the breeder that i was going to be breeding them so she said she would try to get as many eggs from different pens as she could, i ordered 57, so who knows how many she has. (only 18 hatched and 4 died). Thanks for the help. i have been wondering if it has to do with the genetics!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Oh... and Q #5: yes, they are on a Very good diet, Sprouts, wild bird seed, Game bird starter, mealworms, oyster shell & grit. and the few bugs i find around the yard.

so Q #1: yes, i have them indoors. Q #2:she has free access to oyster shells. should she not? Q #3: i have no clue on the parents, i shipped hatching eggs from Florida off ebay, i told the breeder that i was going to be breeding them so she said she would try to get as many eggs from different pens as she could, i ordered 57, so who knows how many she has. (only 18 hatched and 4 died). Thanks for the help. i have been wondering if it has to do with the genetics!

 

[featherhead007]

Those type of birds, would save a fortune on chicken feed BTW! I LIKE!

 

[oldhen2345]

I have hatched from an incubator 14 button quail - I had 15 but one had to have help hatching and had wryneck. It lasted about 5 days- I thought we were over the hump, but no, sadly it died. Love my button quail- but- are they? Some are way bigger than the others. Are they females? Are they cotunix? I will take more pics tonight. I got the eggs from Ebay and had a pretty good hatch. I kept the humidity up higher than with chickens- about 70-75% until lockdown, then raised it to 85%. They are a week old and are growing like weeds- too cute. I love the way they throw it into reverse to poop then scoot off in high gear. Question- I am currently blending the Game bird starter crumble down smaller for them to eat- when can I start giving them just the crumble? Can I mix freeze dried meal worms in the crumble before I blend it down? Do I need to give them grit? I have been putting parakeet grit in the bottom of the container.

 

[featherhead007]

E-BAY? Be glad they didn't send you billiard balls!

 

[oldhen2345]

E-BAY? Be glad they didn't send you billiard balls!

LOL - have to say I had a good hatch ratio from these- just not sure they are all button- I had a couple of eggs that were white with big brown splotches in among the olive and blue eggs.

 

[featherhead007]

LOL - have to say I had a good hatch ratio from these- just not sure they are all button- I had a couple of eggs that were white with big brown splotches in among the olive and blue eggs.

That's very good! Awesome even!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Those type of birds, would save a fortune on chicken feed BTW! I LIKE!

what do you mean? they do not eat a lot?

I have hatched from an incubator 14 button quail - I had 15 but one had to have help hatching and had wryneck. It lasted about 5 days- I thought we were over the hump, but no, sadly it died. Love my button quail- but- are they? Some are way bigger than the others. Are they females? Are they cotunix? I will take more pics tonight. I got the eggs from Ebay and had a pretty good hatch. I kept the humidity up higher than with chickens- about 70-75% until lockdown, then raised it to 85%. They are a week old and are growing like weeds- too cute. I love the way they throw it into reverse to poop then scoot off in high gear. Question- I am currently blending the Game bird starter crumble down smaller for them to eat- when can I start giving them just the crumble? Can I mix freeze dried meal worms in the crumble before I blend it down? Do I need to give them grit? I have been putting parakeet grit in the bottom of the container.

the females are only slightly larger when mature. yes grit is great and yes, mealworms would be great!

LOL - have to say I had a good hatch ratio from these- just not sure they are all button- I had a couple of eggs that were white with big brown splotches in among the olive and blue eggs.

sounds like you have some cotournix! i LOVE them! i want some so bad, maybe after my chicks are older! they actually are much friendlier than button quail, just way bigger and not so colorful!

 

[oldhen2345]

sounds like you have some cotournix! i LOVE them! i want some so bad, maybe after my chicks are older! they actually are much friendlier than button quail, just way bigger and not so colorful!

well, I was going for colorful and small- I have a small house and space is at a premium. I was only planning to keep one couple in a 20 gallon short aquarium and maybe a colony of 4 in a custom cage. Now I can't make up my mind to get rid of any of them. As for the aquarium- I like birds better than fish, but don't need to cuddle and hold them- just like to watch and listen to them root around in their environment. I have chickens and dogs to hold and cuddle. LOL.