Aussie Finch Forum

Can anyone suggest what to do about breeding quail from incubator stock how do you get them to sit on eggs and raise their young

I may not be a big expert on quails but let them do their thing. Animals are all born with an instinct to raise their babies and be part of a 'family' so just keep an eye on them. If it is their first time laying eggs, they might seem unsure of what to do with them let the pair figure it out. If they are very stubborn and refuse to do anything to the eggs then maybe it's time to take matters into your own hands and try and hatch the eggs using your incubator.
You might want to torch the eggs first to see if they are fertile or not. A fertile egg will have dark red wavy lines running all around the outside. If the embryo had survived somehow, you might be able to see its heart and even its body moving around if it is old enough.
An infertile egg is just plain with no blood vessels and just... nothing. Again, if your pair are first time parents they might not have got the eggs 'just right'.
Anyways, they shouldn't even be laying eggs this time of the year. Cold weather can usually lead to egg binding even with quails. Remove their nest and wait until the weather is warm enough again.

It would depend on how many generations that had been incubated
The continually incubated hen European Quail or Californian Quail can struggle to become broody and sit yet some still do.
Quail that have not been incubated continually will just settle down and breed them selves as long as they have a quiet corner
with some cover.
By the way I think you will find the word Quail is actually singular as well as plural, hence no Quails just Quail

As Eorix said, depends on what sort of quail you are talking about. Some just seem to breed ok. Some are so continually incubated that they don;t know what eggs are about. Aussie quail do not seem to have the slightest problem breeding all year round if you are in an area that is in the northern 3/4 of the country. Or mine haven't anytime in the last 30+ years. So Goldcoast should be no problem but Sydney might be.
LML

Thanks for the info I am on the Gold Coast I have silver King quails that breed all year round and bought some death Vader white and tuxedo King quails from incubator stock that were colony bred and may have different genes one trio layed a couple of eggs but weren't sitting pulled the eggs maybe next time will leave them in there to see if they sit on them

Use a fine marking pen to date the eggs of all pairs as they lay them. Swap some eggs between the pairs. Then if the incubated birds do not get the message you will have the silvers raise some and teach them proper quail behavior. That should fix the problemm with the 2nd generation if not with the first.
LML

Thanks for the advice quail is sitting on eggs

King quails will lay eggs around floor ..before settling on a place to incubate them..best I had from one hen was 16 young...but you need to remove males and occasional hen as rest of older birds will kill them..

V That depends on the bloodlines. I have been line breeding quail for colour variation for over 20yrs. And run anything from pairs to 3 hens to 1 cock. Even leave brothers together. Have not had pairs attack uncoloured young in years. And have had the boys be OK together till 6 months old. And when I give a cock "sister wifes" they will co brood once the chicks hatch, sometimes. That said my bloodlines have been selected for passive natures. Anything aggressive sold out. So take note of what V said but dont panic too greatly. Just watch and hope for a passive bloodline and select to encourage this. Hope they do well for you.
LML