Raising Button Quails from Eggs: Care, Incubation, and More

Raising Button Quails from Hatching Eggs

Button quails, also known as cotton quails or Chinese painted quails, are becoming increasingly popular as pets and backyard birds. Many people are interested in button quail hatching eggs for sale so they can experience raising these charming little birds from egg to adulthood.

Benefits of Raising Button Quails

There are many good reasons to raise button quails. For one, they are extremely easy to care for compared to chickens or other fowl. A mating pair of button quails requires just a small hutch and minimal feed to thrive and start producing eggs.

Button quails also produceeggs prolifically, with some hens laying up to 300 eggs per year. The eggs are small, speckled, and absolutely delicious with bright orange egg yolks. Finally, button quails have friendly personalities but are not demanding of attention like chickens.

Incubating Button Quail Hatching Eggs

Incubating button quail eggs and hatching the chicks is rewarding but does require some specialized equipment. First, you’ll need an incubator designed for smaller poultry eggs. Many people have success with incubators made for quail, pheasant, or parrot eggs.

The incubator should maintain a temperature of 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity level of 45-55%. You'll also need a reliable hygrometer to monitor humidity. The incubator should gently circulate air and turn the eggs automatically.

Caring for Newly Hatched Button Quails

Caring for newly hatched button quails requires attentive yet gentle handling. The baby quail chicks will be small, fuzzy, and unable to regulate their body temperature well. They must be kept at around 95 degrees for the first week of life.

Special brooders with warm pads or heat lamps are essential for keeping the temperature correct. Feed chick starter feed in small trays that prevent the birds from scratching litter into the food. Make sure fresh water is always available.

Purchasing Fertile Button Quail Hatching Eggs

Finding reputable sellers that offer quality, fertile button quail hatching eggs for sale is key to hatching success. Avoid eggs sold online by large, industrial egg producers. These eggs are less likely to be fertile since they often come from caged commercial flocks.

Instead, search for small-scale button quail breeders in farm magazines or websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Reach out to 4H members and County Extension agents as well. Join online quilting forums to connect with enthusiasts selling eggs.

Testing Egg Fertility Before Incubating

Before setting button quail eggs for a three week incubation period, it’s wise to test them for fertility. Simply hold each egg up to a bright LED flashlight in a dark room. Fertile eggs will have a noticeable network of veins inside. Infertile eggs look empty inside.

Remove any obvious infertile eggs to increase your odds of hatching success from the fertile ones. Don’t accidentally discard early dead embryos which often resemble fertility. Candling eggs daily once incubation starts reveals live embryos.

Caring for Baby Button Quails

Once you have a batch of adorable button quail chicks running around, you’ll need to properly care for these delicate babies. Think of them like a fragile quail kindergarten class for the first eight weeks while they grow.

Keeping Chicks Warm and Fed

For starters, baby button quails cannot control their body heat and chill easily. Use a brooder setup to maintain about 95 Fahrenheit temperatures while providing plenty of breathing room up to six weeks old. Feed an age-appropriate starter feed with minimum 20% protein from reputable brands like Purina.

Special trays designed to minimize waste and mess work better than piling feed on the brooder's floor. Chicks also need constant access to clean water. Hydration is vital and sometimes forgotten by busy owners during these demanding first weeks.

Avoiding Common Health Issues

Unfortunately baby button quails are prone to bacterial infections and illness if not kept in clean, dry conditions. Daily cleaning with gentle disinfectant removes waste to prevent diseases. Watch for symptoms like fluffed-up feathers, diarrhea, wheezing or sitting with eyes closed to identify sick birds promptly.

Isolate any visibly ill chicks in a separate brooder and consult an avian vet. These professionals can prescribe antibiotics or appropriate treatment to save valuable birds. Prevention through probiotic supplements and electrolytes in the chicks’ water is wise.

Transitioning to Adult Care Levels

At six to eight weeks old, button quail chicks transition into hardy juveniles. Feathers replace initial fuzzy down and activities like foraging and roosting occupy them. Heat lamps get removed around week five to acclimate the young birds.

Switch feed at this stage to a lower protein one like game bird maintenance formula. Adult diet and care levels apply once the birds reach sexual maturity around 14 weeks old for hens and 16 weeks for cocks. Enjoy their antics and egg production powers!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does it Take for Button Quail Eggs to Hatch?

Under proper incubation conditions, button quail eggs should hatch in 16-18 days. Some eggs pip a bit earlier while others go closer to 21 days.

What is Special About Button Quail Eggs?

Weighing just 8 grams each, tiny button quail eggs have disproportionately large, bright orange egg yolks. The small size comes from their mother birds that reach 5-6 inches tall as adults. Their beautiful blue, brown and white speckled shells are also unique.

Where Can I Buy Button Quails Near Me?

The best places to find live button quails for sale are feed stores, breeders advertising in farming magazines or sites, and special poultry swaps. Join online button quail enthusiast groups to connect with sellers and get advice about purchasing birds.

FAQs

What is the Best Incubation Temperature for Button Quail Eggs?

99.5 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Maintain the temperature closely with minimum fluctuations.

Can Button Quails be Kept with Chickens?

No, button quails and chickens have very different care needs. Quails are also at risk of getting pecked or bullied by larger chickens.

Do Button Quails Need Special Cages?

Yes, standard chicken coops with large wire spacing allows tiny button quails to escape. Use cages designed specifically for housing button quails.

Is it Hard to Hatch and Raise Button Quails?

Button quail hatching and rearing has a learning curve but becomes easy once the special care needs are understood. With preparation and commitment, high success rates are achievable.