Quail chicks hatched in my aviary! Amy here, with news from my flock. After a year raising Coturnix Quail (C. japonica, a species from Asia and Africa) in my yard, a hen hatched two chicks. Many Coturnix keepers claim they rarely incubate their own eggs, but that’s most likely due to crowded or stressful living conditions. My six birds have 100 square feet, instead of one square foot per bird often suggested. They walk and make dust baths on the earth instead of a wire mesh floor. Although they are ground dwelling birds, the six foot tall ceiling accommodates their occasional “flights”straight up into the air about three feet. But most importantly, they can hide in plants and covered areas.

The hen started incubating a clutch of 11 eggs, some hers and some not hers. The incubation countdown starts for the whole lot when she starts sitting, and takes 16 to 20 days.

While a brooding hen does not lay additional eggs, other hens would sit right beside her to add to the clutch. On day 20, I noticed the first chick! Another on day 21. Chicks do not need to eat for their first few days, but eat on their own when they are dry and strong enough to walk. The hen follows them around and calls them close to sit under her to get warm. This is when I counted the eggs in the abandoned nest: 30! I also observed other hens warming the chicks as they explored the aviary.

The broody hen, as well as other hens and the rooster, showed them how to dig for earthworms. They’re growing quickly.

They sleep sprawled on the ground and definitely look DEAD, but startle awake too fast for me to take a picture.

They’re so much stronger than the chicks raised in an electric incubator. I’ll post an update soon. In the meantime, you can read my first quail post.

As for the fresh eggs, I’ve been pickling them to dress salads. I just tuck hard boiled, peeled eggs into a jar of dill cucumber pickles or in with pickled beets! Just to be extra safe, I eat within a week. That’s easy enough!