Nest building male Coturnix Quail!

[JaeG]

Hi everyone, I'm pretty new at this. We've just started keeping coturnix quail and my kids love them. We've had them for about a month and one of the females started laying five days after we brought them home (quite incredible considering how many times they are picked up and kissed each day by our seven year old, and patted by our three year old).

We have one male and two females. They seem a bit unusual in that our boy is the one to make a nest for his girls (always in the same place - right by the food bowl!) and he calls them over with grunts and high pitched cheeping. He'll even sit with them and comfort them while they are laying and is very interested in the newly hatched eggs. I think they pester him until the nest is up to scratch too.

I'm just wondering if there is any chance of them brooding their own eggs seeing as they always lay in the same place? I know it's a long shot! Just wondered if they built up a clutch would they sit on them? They are just in a temporary cage inside (our old dog crate that's been modified slightly) on deep litter. From everything I've been able to find boys aren't supposed to show any interest in building nests and girls don't tend to lay in the same place each day. Did we just get an odd bunch? Has any one else come across such a doting male before?

 

[Invision]

Can always hope they do, but its rare. I think from everything I've been seeing posted by people that the older the bird the better chance you have, seems (from reading post from others) that yearlings are more prone to brood. Chances are extremely low, more so this time of year. But good luck!

 

[Sill]

Give it a go! It's a plus that your roo is showing interest but be prepared to remove him if he disturbs a broody hen. If they are showing such interest maybe wait to move them. The stress of moving may throw them off laying and nesting behavior.

I'm assuming these quail are indoors if your kids get access to them so often? Indoor housing would mean they are not on the same schedule as outdoor birds so can show "springtime" nesting behavior now.

Please post updates of how they are doing.

 

[jaybeeson18]

How are they laying this time of year?

 

[JaeG]

We are in New Zealand so our season's only just begun. They make me feel guilty as whenever I remove the eggs from their nest (they both lay in the same place) the females will go over and look for them - either that or they are seeing if I've put anything tasty there for them to eat. They don't appear to bear me any ill will for stealing their eggs every day!