Quail Incubation

[Ranger of the North]

xxxxxHello there! My brother's Chinese quails, also known as but-
ton quails, have just started nesting in a conveniently visible spot!
Since birds fascinate me, and I'm documenting it anyway, I thought
I might as well share my journaling here with you, the reader~ c:
Most entries will likely be a sentence or two long, and there may
be longer gaps between some than others, since if there's nothing
to record then there's nothing to record :p I'll also post photos,
and if any don't belong to me, I will credit the creator!

xxxxxThis is a bit of an experiment, as I've never documented
any of my bird stuff online before o.o So, hopefully everything
is enjoyable for writer and reader alike! (;

xxxxxFeel free to ask any questions or make any comments!

Sincerely:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
—Ranger

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22/09/17xx—xx24/09/17xx—xx25/09/17

30/09/17xx—xx01/10/17xx—xx02/10/17

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06/10/17xx—xx07/10/17xx—xx08/10/17

09/10/17xx—xx10/10/17

[Ranger of the North]

Saturday, September sixteenth, 2017

The quails have laid two eggs!

[Ranger of the North]

Sunday, September seventeenth, 2017

There are now three eggs (even though there were two when I first checked this morning; it appears I was too early haha), and there's more of a cup shape in the straw and dirt around them. One of the females was turning them over and inspecting them, so I now know for sure that they're quails' eggs*.

*I had been uncertain, since we have several types of birds in the aviary and they're not the dark-brown I remember from previous clutches.

[Ranger of the North]

Monday, September eighteenth, 2017

Five eggs, and I was too early again! As soon as I got up I checked the nest, and there were only three still! Cheeky birdies.
I'm beginning to wonder if maybe both the females are using the nest, as I thought they lay only once per day until their incubation period. The cup-shaped hollow has melded with the surrounding landscape once more, hehe.

I took some photos:

(Eggs, mother and/or grandmother, and father. Quality should hopefully be fixed :.)

[Ranger of the North]

Tuesday, September nineteenth, 2017

Today I will be (trying to) check the nest hourly, so as to begin working out a) when the mother lays her eggs, and b) if it will be regular. I hope to watch her laying, but I doubt she'll actually let me :p Let the day begin!

8:00 AM:

Still five eggs.

Daddy-quail got busy again O.o

9:00 AM:

Five.

9:18 AM:

While checking on the budgies, I managed to catch the female tending her eggs! She didn't lay another, but it was awesome to watch. I wish I'd had the camera with me!
xxxxxTo turn them over, she first rolled them up between her beak and chest, then slid them down into the nest again, with the male hovering nearby as she worked — what a cute, supportive little husband lol.
xxxxxAfter checking them, she warmed them for four minutes or so; from 9:18 to 9:21. They're in a nice sunny spot, so I'm interested to see how much incubation she'll actually need to do!

9:37 AM:

Just went out again, and it looked like she was showing the dad how to warm their eggs, lol.

9:50 AM:

(Oops, I forgot the exact minute, lol.) Mama-quail laid an egg while I was watching, right out of the blue! I thought she'd started incubating, she was sittin' so much — there goes that theory! lol.
xxxxxWhile I was taking some photos of the other birds, I realised she was in an odd position. She was stretched completely upright, stiff and weird-looking; motionless. She looked focused, almost vacant, and I was in just the right position to notice when her bottom-feathers start quivering.I didn't see the egg itself coming out, but suddenly her eyes flicked back on, she regained awareness, and wandered off leaving behind six eggs! It was an amazing experience <3

Afternoon:

Seven eggs!

[Pyjaks]

ahhhh hi Ranger, we haven't talked in a while :D
anyways this is really cool and I will be stalking 0.0 I love your birdies <33

[Ranger of the North]

ahhhh hi Ranger, we haven't talked in a while
anyways this is really cool and I will be stalking 0.0 I love your birdies <33

Helloooo, Ikr! Long time no see, lol :p
And thanks! I just hope everything turns out okay, aha XD

[Ranger of the North]

Wednesday, September twentieth, 2017

Between 9:30 and 9:40 AM, Mama-quail laid another egg! I didn't get to watch this time, but my brother (who they belong to) actually managed to see it coming out! I think incubation may have begun for real, now; she's been brooding consistently throughout the day, and was working on expanding/hiding her nest, which was fascinating to watch! After picking up a piece of the nearest suitable material in her beak (grass, stick, straw, etc.) she tosses it carelessly over her shoulder and leaves it where it lands. It looks sloppy while she's doing it, but the result is surprisingly effective! Her attitude changes noticeably if I so much as step in the vague direction of the nest; she doesn't know whether to run to or from it, hehe.
xxxxxIn the afternoon my sister thought she saw nine eggs (which would cross incubation off the list yet again, hahaha) but I wasn't able to confirm it for myself.

[The Worst Username]

Oh my goodness, your family has an aviary? That's so cool. What other types of birds are in there? And congrats on all the eggs--I hope you get to see them hatch, because quail chicks are so cute and fuzzy (well, after a few days of life, anyhow).

[Ranger of the North]

Oh my goodness, your family has an aviary? That's so cool. What other types of birds are in there? And congrats on all the eggs--I hope you get to see them hatch, because quail chicks are so cute and fuzzy (well, after a few days of life, anyhow).

Yup! We've also got two breeding budgies, two fledglings and at least three more in the nest, a diamond dove, a rosy bourke, and a turk~ C:
Thanks and same! We've had quail chicks before, but the nest was better hidden; we didn't even know the birds were brooding 'til a bunch of bumblebee chicks appeared, haha :p