#coturnix quails

[kedreeva]

Butt nuggets

The little quail really like having a plushie or two in the brooder to snuggle up to/under. This doberman has done a great job of being a guard mama for decades!

[kedreeva]

Fully grown button quail hen (left) next to a 6-days old coturnix chick.

[kedreeva]

Every other bird molted weeks ago. This hen decided nah, she'd wait until it was actually cold cold before starting, and then she would do it in the worst way. Scrungly little skronkle. I brought her in where it is a little warmer, so she could finish getting all those sheaths off without freezing.

[kedreeva]

I set 119 quail eggs a couple weeks ago, so I could get a group of normal egg layers instead of just celadons. They're hatching and they're so stinking cute. I always forget how cute quail are as babies.

[kedreeva]

Double yolker from this morning!

And then the absolutely massive difference lighting can make when trying to photograph these damn eggs. First photo outside but in shade with a dark background, second photo outside but in full sun against white.

Neither one looks like the eggs actually look in person. They're closer to the in-shade photo though.

[calico-cows]

PSA: don’t handle your quail right after they drank a ton of water or they’ll spit it up. Scared the crap out of me, also my pants are wet now

[calico-cows]

Does anyone have experience raising coturnix quail in an aviary? What’s a good number of hens per sq foot? Will they get territorial?