# Quail



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This is interesting, I might have a broody Quail. For the past two days every time I check there's a hen under the hay sitting on five or six eggs. Now if the eggs are fertile and she sticks with it, this could be interesting.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> This is interesting, I might have a broody Quail. For the past two days every time I check there's a hen under the hay sitting on five or six eggs. Now if the eggs are fertile and she sticks with it, this could be interesting.


Spring! I ordered 20 Tibetan Quail eggs for the incubator.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Robin-very important-make absolutely no changes in the cage environment or your schedule in feeding. Any change can cause a quail to desert her nest. 16-18 days to hatch. The hen will care for the chicks about ten days and then start a new nest. If this hen succeeds she will try again and be more stable about it. Hopefully, the other seven quail will not interfere with the nest. Good luck. It is fascinating to watch a quail family.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Thanks, Dan. I was wondering. 

She is glued. All spread out like you see a hen on eggs. I worry because she's right at the door where I come and go. She watches every move I make when I go in to feed but hasn't budged, yet. 

What I have is piles of hay in their pen. Their pen is a 10X10 ft dog pen. They all go tunneling in it and hang out in the hay.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Sounds like she is not too nervous of a bird. My advice is to separate mom and chicks as soon as they hatch-17 days.
I used a big plastic tub for the hen to raise her chicks in. For me, it was a problem with snakes making the chicks* *disappear. In your case, I'd worry about the reactions of the other quail. Fine chick mash, minced hard-boiled egg, and dry mealworms crunched up worked well as a diet for quail chicks.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I've got a small square wire cage I can use if I need to. Guess it's good I didn't get rid of everything I had for the birds.

My group is already on gamebird feed which usually has enough fine ground crumbles for tiny babies to eat. That's assuming the eggs are fertile. I kind of hope they are if she's going to do something they aren't known to do.

I just came in from giving the quail their daily lettuce treat, she's changed her angle a bit since this morning and didn't appear to be paying me much mind.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*If you have a male and the male is crowing the eggs will be fertile.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's just it and why I wonder, I haven't heard him crow for a couple of weeks. Believe it or not, I heard in when I was in the house.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Is their cage well-lit? When not crowing it maybe sterile. Fifteen more days will go fast and if the pen is well lighted he should be fertile.*


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*And if you really want to know catch the little rooster and check his vent. If swollen he is in breeding condition and fertile.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Their pen gets a good dose of sun every day. About half is in the sun, the other half is shade. When there is no sun or I have the rain shades up there's a light.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*There should be no problem with fertility. I did notice that the last males I had were quieter at times; especially when there were nests of eggs.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I need to mark my calendar so I'll know to be watching.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*If possible you might want to make the area around the nest such that the chicks can't stray and the other adults can't interfere a few days before hatch. Only if the hen remains a calm brooder. And the chicks will stray, as soon as they are dried off. The pen that my hen nested in was 4 x 4 feet and when the chicks hatched they were in every part while mom was still on the nest with just hatched chicks and eggs. She stayed in constant contact with them and when they became cold they'd go back to the nest. So cute. The calls of mom and chicks were barely audible. Make sure your cage has very close spaced bars. I put fine mesh around my cage's bottom to make sure the chicks were safe. All the chicks hatched in a fairly short period of time then the hen left he nest with her chicks.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, I can do that. Mine might have to be bigger than that because of the pile of hay where her nest is. 

So, they hatch like keets do. Once one starts all the rest follow rapidly in hatching.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*YES.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

So, anyway I go out to put the birds up for the night. When I get to giving the Quail their evening snack there's no hen on the nest. I'm like, ah nuts. She left the nest.

I spotted her dust bathing in the feed bowl. Why that and not their pan filled with sand is for another day. But she answered a question I had, will she got to food and water?

And there's way more than four or five eggs.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> So, anyway I go out to put the birds up for the night. When I get to giving the Quail their evening snack there's no hen on the nest. I'm like, ah nuts. She left the nest.
> 
> I spotted her dust bathing in the feed bowl. Why that and not their pan filled with sand is for another day. But she answered a question I had, will she got to food and water?
> 
> And there's way more than four or five eggs.


Eight to ten is the ideal number for a cortunix. If she has more--trust to luck or...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

They're all arranged in a bowl shape and probably more than ten. Either those eggs were hidden in the hay or a bunch were suddenly added once she went broody. She manages to cover them all because you can't see any of them at all.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Then I'd leave well enough alone and, yes, she well may have hid them while laying. Hopefully, the others are not adding eggs. If you noticed, quail just lay their eggs in the same general area, then when all the eggs have been laid, the eggs are pulled together and the real nest is constructed around them. This is an interesting thing to watch.*


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

I love reading this thread- keep us posted Robin!


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

danathome said:


> *Then I'd leave well enough alone and, yes, she well may have hid them while laying. Hopefully, the others are not adding eggs. If you noticed, quail just lay their eggs in the same general area, then when all the eggs have been laid, the eggs are pulled together and the real nest is constructed around them. This is an interesting thing to watch.*


Yes it is. That's the kind of behavior, you wonder what the evolutionary function is.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

danathome said:


> *Then I'd leave well enough alone and, yes, she well may have hid them while laying. Hopefully, the others are not adding eggs. If you noticed, quail just lay their eggs in the same general area, then when all the eggs have been laid, the eggs are pulled together and the real nest is constructed around them. This is an interesting thing to watch.*


I'd find eggs everywhere in the pen. It would look like someone was building a nest, lay one or two eggs then move to another area. 

She was watching me this morning when I went in. Full on turning her head to watch me.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*I've had a number of button and cortunix quail brood, as you already know. The point is that every one that brooded for four days went all the way to the end and hatched chicks. Consider planning what you'll do when these itsy chicks hatch. You definitely want to get the marbles out to put in their drinking water so they don't drown; clean gravel works well.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If the eggs are fertile. I was watching the male this morning. Something isn't right with him. It looks neurological. Only time will tell if any will hatch. 

Thanks for the marble reminder. Been a while since I've needed them.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> If the eggs are fertile. I was watching the male this morning. Something isn't right with him. It looks neurological. Only time will tell if any will hatch.
> 
> Thanks for the marble reminder. Been a while since I've needed them.


*Like chickens you have to consider the past; if the male wasn't sick when the first eggs were laid then it is very possible the whole clutch is fertile.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I did think of that and crossing my fingers that that's the way it works out.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Is the quail hen still brooding?*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yep. But she does pay attention. When I went in this morning I had their hand rearing formula treat. She took over the bowl. Then she returned to her nest. 

And just because you said something about actual nests which until now I hadn't seen them do that. There's another one started with several eggs in it.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Yep. But she does pay attention. When I went in this morning I had their hand rearing formula treat. She took over the bowl. Then she returned to her nest.
> 
> And just because you said something about actual nests which until now I hadn't seen them do that. There's another one started with several eggs in it.


*Monkey see, monkey do. Remove the eggs if you don't wish to have them hatch. I think it's really cool that you're getting them to nest normally; just not something that most quail owners see. Pictures?*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, I'll get a pic later. The one nest isn't in a spot to get a decent pic of. 

I hope she's paying attention again this morning and leaves the nest right after I take their breakfast in.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

*The other nest*










*Girl on her nest. She knows breakfast is served.*










*Her nest after she left for breakfast.*
































*Her taking over breakfast. *


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Nice pics!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I just realized something. We have a cold front coming next week. Guess which day it's supposed to get here. Yep, hatch day.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*I always found it fascinating when they nested. Really nice pictures! I'd suggest that you move hen and chicks indoors as soon as you see they've hatched. Since the hen tolerates your presence she should accept the interference. I doubt the hen could keep the chicks going should the cold last any time at all.
It's easy to understand why they brood in natures so much; unless conditions are close to ideal the chicks die.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Can't move them in. It's not safe here in the house for me to bring them in. But I can easily setup and adjust for their needs when the temps drop.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Can't move them in. It's not safe here in the house for me to bring them in. But I can easily setup and adjust for their needs when the temps drop.


😊


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Love the pics! So cool to be reminded how well they really do blend in to their surroundings! Too cute.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

They love their hay. I think there were six of them in there.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*That hay is the secret of your success. If they don't feel secure and hidden, nesting is a LOT less likely. Very neat pictures.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I had noticed they were calmer with the hay being there. 

Just reminded me I need to take another flake out. That one disappeared into the shavings.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Quail seem to like feeling hidden (predator/prey response). Since I had just a pair in a large pen and didn't have to clean often, I arranged their cage using dried vines, branches, and even a few green fake plants. That was my secret of success. I also offered small wooden boxes that had half the front open; like a tiny chicken nest box.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What won't we do for our pets?


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

That’s awesome! This has turned into a really informative thread, btw....


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Overmountain1 said:


> That’s awesome! This has turned into a really informative thread, btw....


Like you introducing us to the Hermit Crabs. That was fun for me to learn about.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Overmountain-If you like quail, I recommend button quail over cortunix. Their behaviors are quite similar, but buttons are smaller and less smelly if you have them in the house. Cleaning would be less often too. However, if you're going to use the eggs, like for pickled eggs, and the birds to eat, then get the jumbo cortunix.

Normal and silver button quail will nest in a cage too and more readily than cortunix quail.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I heard the boy crow this morning. So, fingers crossed there will be baby quail in a couple of days.

Don't know why I'm wishing for that. It just complicates an already complicated life.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I heard the boy crow this morning. So, fingers crossed there will be baby quail in a couple of days.
> 
> Don't know why I'm wishing for that. It just complicates an already complicated life.


*Because it is fun and interesting; something not everyone can accomplish. How about that second nest?*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I think they've already abandoned that project. I don't see any new additions and don't see anyone near it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, there's another broody quail. So you were right, Dan. I can't tell if it's the same one or not of course.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*It would be a different hen as the previous broody did not have time to have laid a new clutch. But yea! Hopefully these will hatch.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What are the chances of having two broodies of a species not know for going broody? 

I got a kick out this latest one, she covered herself with hay so you can barely see her.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Smart gal!  Love that they are keeping us entertained (and guessing.)


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> What are the chances of having two broodies of a species not know for going broody?
> 
> I got a kick out this latest one, she covered herself with hay so you can barely see her.


*I'd say pretty high. You obviously have your cage set up to their liking. It takes almost up to two weeks for them to lay a full clutch. How many eggs? Each egg represents one day. The other hen would not start brooding someone else's nest like a chicken might. *


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

Overmountain1 said:


> Smart gal!  Love that they are keeping us entertained (and guessing.)


*X 2.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

They are actually in a big dog pen. Ten foot by Ten foot. With hay and shavings and places to hang out and feel safe.

There's even the top of a cage I have clipped so it stays leaning against the pen sides for them to hang out in. 

Less than ten this time. I should have counted when she was off the nest this morning. Like the other broody she's got a really bad attitude when she's up.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> They are actually in a big dog pen. Ten foot by Ten foot. With hay and shavings and places to hang out and feel safe.
> 
> There's even the top of a cage I have clipped so it stays leaning against the pen sides for them to hang out in.
> 
> Less than ten this time. I should have counted when she was off the nest this morning. Like the other broody she's got a really bad attitude when she's up.


*So, the question is, did the first broody have time between abandoning the first nest to lay 8 eggs and go broody again?*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No, another hen made this nest. Probably the one sitting on it. I had been watching this "new" one because it was so organized. Not just laid wherever she happened to be standing which happened a lot.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*That cool. Button quail often make such a nest; almost like it has a roof on* *it; but after the eggs are laid. It took me some time to realize what was going on when they appeared to be just dropping the eggs any old where. It was by accident that I had my first broody button; I hadn't collected the eggs in a week or so and when I went to do so the hen had constructed the nest and was brooding.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Believe me, mine were dropping them any old where. This nest building thing is pretty new. It's why it got my attention.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I was watching yesterday. This one hen kept walking over the hen on the nest. The hen on the nest finally had enough and got up. The other bird quickly settled on her eggs. Because of all the "I'm not in a good mood" noises I'm hearing, I've got more than one broody.

The hen that tried to steal the one nest settled on another that I thought they had abandoned.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*You should get that on video. I know numerous people that would not believe as, "Everyone knows quail do not brood in captivity." And if they do it's just a fluke.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I know, that's what I was told when I got them. It's why I was so surprised that the one was glued to a nest.

I have seen mister roo getting down to business again lately so maybe this time something will happen.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I know, that's what I was told when I got them. It's why I was so surprised that the one was glued to a nest.
> 
> I have seen mister roo getting down to business again lately so maybe this time something will happen.


*Good. You've learned what I learned, Quail DO brood in captivity; it's just a matter of setting up their pen correctly.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And that was purely by accident. I did what I thought they'd like. Except the goofy birds keep mushing the hay down flat. I thought it was the Hamburg that was doing it, it wasn't since she's gone. I've got some small pieces of welded wire I can use to make tunnels.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> And that was purely by accident. I did what I thought they'd like. Except the goofy birds keep mushing the hay down flat. I thought it was the Hamburg that was doing it, it wasn't since she's gone. I've got some small pieces of welded wire I can use to make tunnels.


*Great idea; be sure to bend over all pointed ends.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I did one tunnel. I need to cut some of the wire down to a more acceptable size for such tiny birds.


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