Really Odd Hatching Question???

[julesapple]

The DD has a Harris Hawk. Today he's had a female quail to eat (yes, I know, but think food chain here) When the DD went to check on her BOP, he's got something odd.....an egg!!

So, my question is, can we put this egg, which is more than likely fertile, under our broody Wyandotte......it's been inside the mother quail, who was (awful thought) gassed and her body frozen......does it stand a chance?

Actually, we have put it under Shirley, but does it have any chance at all?

Jules

[Scarlet]

If the egg was frozen I don't think it stands a chance.

[Bramble-Poultry]

Freezing the egg would probably have destroyed the embryo - but still its worth a go as ever I suppose, remember though if you have a quail under a broody that you can;t put chicken eggs under too - quail hatch a lot earlier so with the arrival of a quail she will leave the nest!! Also chicken chicks will ultimatley kill a quail chick purely buy stomping on it due to sheer size difference - of course if mom doesn;t stomp on it first!

[julesapple]

We've never put any eggs under our girls when they've gone broody, hatching wasn't something we were going to try as we lack space .

I don't think this tiny egg has any chance at all, but I'm willing to try. We've just completed our new chook house, so we do have a broody coop on stand-by if needed. The old henhouse has a built in run so it would be perfect.

Well, we'll see.....

Jules

[Bramble-Poultry]

if, and i mean if, the egg does hatch remember that baby quail can walk at speed literally as soon as they hatch and that they are the size of bumble bees. if you dont have a tight enough small diameter mesh on the coop they will walk right out into the garden.

I am not suggesting that you rewire your coop for the sake of a egg that may or may not hacth, just be mindful that on day 16 when it should hatch that you need to have put something like a cardboard collar around the run (about 6" high will see you right for the first to weeks) to keep the little fella in.

On our quail brooders we either have solid sides or 1/4" mesh, and you will need a good roof too as they can go up as fast as they can go along! I have seen week old quail chicks get 4' up in the air in a jump.

[RichmondHens]

I struggled keeping partridge chicks in and they are a lot bigger than quail .........