It's official! I have a broody coturnix quail!!!! :D

[meepANDpeep]

She could reach the food without getting up, and she actually slowly moved her nest closer to the water a bit each day until she could reach it from her nest.

I moved the food and water closer to the nest also

 

[Iza]

Hey, how did it go for your quail?

One of my Coturnix also started sitting on eggs - I was shocked as I believed they lost this instinct. I avoid any disturbance to her, but after 13 days that I stopped collecting eggs, she has 22 in her nest by now, as other hens would drop their eggs to her too
I'm worried it's too many but I would not know which are new, so just left her like this (I didn't have such a brilliant idea as to mark them).
I am also concerned if it's going to turn out well. It is Septemper, so here in Poland the temperature starts to go down - 18-25 Celsius degrees (64-77 F) during the day, 8-10 (46-50 F) at night. The coop where she has her nest is insulated and I set the thermostat to keep the temperature at 20 degrees, today turned it up to 25 (77 F) as I expect that hatching might start any day now, so worried it may be too cold for the chicks.
Do you have any advice for me? On one hand I'd like the nature to do the job, but then I don't want the 'aspiring mummy's' effort to go in vain due to inadequate care.
I wonder if I should move the quail to my house, increase temperature, anything?

Welcome any advice!

 

[FloorCandy]

Hey, how did it go for your quail?

One of my Coturnix also started sitting on eggs - I was shocked as I believed they lost this instinct. I avoid any disturbance to her, but after 13 days that I stopped collecting eggs, she has 22 in her nest by now, as other hens would drop their eggs to her too
I'm worried it's too many but I would not know which are new, so just left her like this (I didn't have such a brilliant idea as to mark them).
I am also concerned if it's going to turn out well. It is Septemper, so here in Poland the temperature starts to go down - 18-25 Celsius degrees (64-77 F) during the day, 8-10 (46-50 F) at night. The coop where she has her nest is insulated and I set the thermostat to keep the temperature at 20 degrees, today turned it up to 25 (77 F) as I expect that hatching might start any day now, so worried it may be too cold for the chicks.
Do you have any advice for me? On one hand I'd like the nature to do the job, but then I don't want the 'aspiring mummy's' effort to go in vain due to inadequate care.
I wonder if I should move the quail to my house, increase temperature, anything?

Welcome any advice!

I moved my broody and 12 eggs inside on day 2. About a week later she pushed an egg out of the nest and I removed 1 more, leaving her 10. She successfully hatched 6. Yours has too many and I would worry that one she has been caring for might get moved out and chilled due to the large number, it might be a good idea to separate her, candle the eggs, and only give her 10-12 ones that look like they’re doing well.

 

[Iza]

I moved my broody and 12 eggs inside on day 2. About a week later she pushed an egg out of the nest and I removed 1 more, leaving her 10. She successfully hatched 6. Yours has too many and I would worry that one she has been caring for might get moved out and chilled due to the large number, it might be a good idea to separate her, candle the eggs, and only give her 10-12 ones that look like they’re doing well.

Thanks! I thought so.

I candled them at night, but the shells are too thick, and i could not see through them. I think I will move mine into the house today, and reduce the number of eggs - hope I'm lucky to leave the right ones. Perhaps I try to incubate those I take away, though don't have equipment for that yet.

Can you share in what temperature you kept your hen and chicks once they hatched?

 

[meepANDpeep]

Hey, how did it go for your quail?

One of my Coturnix also started sitting on eggs - I was shocked as I believed they lost this instinct. I avoid any disturbance to her, but after 13 days that I stopped collecting eggs, she has 22 in her nest by now, as other hens would drop their eggs to her too
I'm worried it's too many but I would not know which are new, so just left her like this (I didn't have such a brilliant idea as to mark them).
I am also concerned if it's going to turn out well. It is Septemper, so here in Poland the temperature starts to go down - 18-25 Celsius degrees (64-77 F) during the day, 8-10 (46-50 F) at night. The coop where she has her nest is insulated and I set the thermostat to keep the temperature at 20 degrees, today turned it up to 25 (77 F) as I expect that hatching might start any day now, so worried it may be too cold for the chicks.
Do you have any advice for me? On one hand I'd like the nature to do the job, but then I don't want the 'aspiring mummy's' effort to go in vain due to inadequate care.
I wonder if I should move the quail to my house, increase temperature, anything?

Welcome any advice!

Sadly, when I moved my broody, she stopped brooding. By the time she got settled in to her new home and decided to start brooding again, the life in the eggs was gone Be careful moving them - they can take time to settle and the eggs can chill and die. Maybe try to encourage your hen to move her nest into a tray or something so you can move her and her nest together so she doesn't have to readjust.

Also, I believe 22 eggs is way too much - you will lose some of the chicks. Do you have any idea which ones are the older ones? Otherwise - you'll just have to guess

 

[Iza]

I just candled them again, after watching some tutorials on YT anx 6 turned out infertile, I removed four more that seemed a little off (either less developed or it seemed like very fluid blood inside). She now has 12 in her nest. Even with 22 she managed to keep them warm. I put a little crate at the door of the coop, so she is now separated from other hens, so no new eggs will be added. those 12 really seem like developed, with only a bubble of air left - so I do hope this goes well
So for now I let her be in the coop, no moving.
I am soooo proud of her!

 

[Iza]

I was losing hope that maybe I reduced the number too late but here I come back from dropping my daugther to school and this is what my husband is showing me!
7 eggs still and 5 CHICKS!!!
Sorry for poor quality of the picture - it was taken in a hurry to minimise stressto the mommy