quail have layed eggs

[rshaskinini]

Hi, I have a pair of Chinese Painted Quails and the hen has recently layed five eggs. Can you tell me if the hen will feed her chicks if they eventually hatch please?

They live in an outside aviary with my budgies and finches. I am new to Quail keeping.

Any helpful tips would be gratefully received. Thanks. Ron

[sam-e jo]

The chicks will eat on there own, the mother will show them how to peck at there food. They are not like song birds that have to be fed by there mother, they are more like chickens when it comes to the babys,LOL. Is she sitting on the eggs, I herd most quail will not hatch there eggs in captivity though I think some will.

[rshaskinini]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. She isnt sitting on the eggs yet. I heard they usually dont sit on their eggs too. Fingers crossed she will!!

I suppose I could eventually get an incubator. Do you know of a make-shift incubator? They are very expensive to purchase.

Thanks very much for your help.

[sam-e jo]

If you look it up on the internet I bet you could find a couple diffrent types of home made ones you can build your self. When I rased Leopard Geckos I was thinking of building one and found a couple diffrent kinds to make. If you have trouble finding any instructions let me know I know a guy that does know how to make them and I can let you know.

[rshaskinini]

Thanks Sam. I really appreciate your help. I will give the hen some time and if she doesnt show any interest I will look for an incubator.

One other thing... if she lays eggs in future, can I put them straight into the incubator?

Thanks

[Reeves]

If you put each egg as you find it into an incubator you'll have odd hatches with no where to put the chicks.
Save up eggs for 7-14 days, then put them in. If you incubate in shorter time periods you end up with a pile up at the hatcher.
You'll also need pens for each batch hatched. Don't mix different aged birds, or you'll have a train wreck.

Read the incubation section......it covers this info.

[sam-e jo]

I am new to this to but I have done a good bit of reasurch so far. I put my eggs in my basement were it is cool. They should be about 55*F when you stoor them. My first quail hatch will be on Tuesday but I hatched some turkeys last Saterday and I stord them the same way before I incubated them. You will have lots of fun with this, I am.

[rshaskinini]

I hope to have fun. I just need a 'cheep' incubator now... Thanks for the info

[rshaskinini]

I dont believe it!!! The hen is actually sitting on 10 eggs. Does that mean she will feed them when they hatch. I am worried now...

[Reeves]

If she does, you'll have to make sure there are no holes for the chicks to escape. (picture of your pen would help a lot)

Water dish will have to be set up so they'll not get wet. Marbles will help there.

Have food ready for the chicks. You'll likely have to grind it fine for them the first couple weeks.

No drop offs where a chick would have troubles staying with the parents.

[rshaskinini]

Hi Reeves, thanks for the info. I have a 9'x3 aviary and attached to that is a 9'x3' flight, making it in total 9'x6'. The quails are in the 6x3 aviary, indoors, snuggled in a private corner. She has made the nest from wood shavings. The only way the quails can get outside is through a small hole I made at the base of the aviary. Is the wood chippings likely to cause the chicks a problem? There is so much to worry about! Thanks again.

[Reeves]

I never recommend the use of wood chips.
I always recommend the use of good clean hay, or alfalfa hay.
For Quail I will "sift" extra chaff. They'll eat some of it and it's good for them.
Not much good in wood chips !

If the wire is 1/2" x 1/2" the chicks [may] be able to go through it. For sure their heads will. You may have to block them in the "building" part for a week or two.

[rshaskinini]

Thanks Reeves. I suppose I cannot change the wood shavings now, as they have nest in it? I used the shavings in the base of the aviary for the budgies and finches never thinking the Quails would lay...

[Reeves]

Bug her now and she may quit.
Live and learn....

[rshaskinini]

Sam-e-jo... Did you qails hatch?

My hen is still sticking with the eggs... she has 12 eggs, one week to go. Also, it is possible for the hen to look like a cock bird. She is the smaller of the two and she has a white bib... I am confused.