Incubation Guide

**DISCLAIMER** We can not and are not responsible for hatch rate. Even if you get an incubator from us, we are still not responsible. There are entirely too many factors that influence hatch rate that are beyond our control. These include postal procedures, weather, incubation errors, etc. This guide is intended to help people who purchase eggs from us incubate them. We also recommend always doing additional research. There are tons of great sites out there to help people** With all of this said, please note that our hatch rate is about 90-95%. We just can't guarantee what another individuals hatch rate will be. Also keep in mind that hatch rates do vary and this is perfectly normal. We do our very best to ship eggs as carefully as possible. However you may receive some damaged or cracked eggs. If you do happen to get cracked eggs, please feel free to contact us. This is one reason we send extra eggs when shipping.

Incubation Guide

The only kind of incubator you should really use to incubate button quail is a incubator that is made from styrofoam. Please do not use wooden or cardboard boxes to incubate. The temperature and humidity will not be right and your hatch rate will suffer significantly.

Please note that this is just how we incubate. What works for some people doesn't always work for others. There are a lot a of factors that contribute to hatch rate. Some of these include shipping process, outside temperature, temperature of your home, humidity levels, whether the egg was fertile or not to begin with, and where in your home your incubator is located. We hope this guide will be helpful with incubating your eggs.
**1. When you first receive your eggs, you will want to carefully open your package** Usually a lot of tape etc is involved so take your time. Once inspecting the eggs for cracks, etc leave them in a safe location so the yolk can settle. They should sit for about 4-5 hours. Next you will want to mark each egg (with pencil and lightly) with an X on one side and an O on the other. This helps you rotate the eggs. Make sure not to press too hard with the pencil or you can crack/puncture the eggs. Put aside any cracked or damaged eggs.
2. Set your incubator temperature to 100 degrees. If the temperature goes up or down by a degree or two, it's no big deal. You want the temperature to remain as close to 100 degrees as possible. While the eggs are settling outside of the incubator, this is a good time to get your temperature set correctly...sometimes it takes an hour or two to get it perfect or near perfect.
3. Make sure your incubator has plenty of water in the bottom. Humidity/moisture is a very important factor with incubating button quail eggs. Moisture allows the egg to develop fully and allows for easier hatching. If you notice that the yolk is sticking, then you know you didn't have enough moisture in your incubator. You can tell this after your hatch date has passed by. We have opened up eggs to find out the reason they didn't hatch.
4. Place eggs in incubator spacing about 2 inches apart from one another. You want to make sure you place as many eggs in the middle of the incubator as possible. This is where the heat is the warmest. The eggs are going to scatter as you start to rotate them and this is fine...just keep them as close together as possible.
5. You need to turn the eggs 3-4 times per day. They don't always need a full rotation, just enough to move the yolk around so it doesn't stick. We also use a spray bottle (like you would use to mist plants) and spray the eggs. You can do this at the same time you rotate the eggs. This also helps with moisture. Some people even put a sponge in their incubator. It's all up to you how you do it.
6. You will rotate eggs for 13 days. Button quail hatch in 16-22 days. DO NOT turn eggs the last three days of incubation. The quail are trying to figure out the best part of the shell to start to peck at. If you move them, you will confuse their process and they could die trying to get out of their shell.
7. Between day 16-22 button quail will start to hatch. Leave them in the incubator until they have started to dry out and are zipping around the incubator. When they start knocking the other eggs around it's time for them to go into the brooder. You can read more on this on the how to care for button quail guide.
Enjoy your new baby button quail. It is an amazing and educational process to witness. They are the size of a bumblebee when born. Within an hour of hatching they will begin eating and drinking on their own. It's amazing how something so tiny comes into this world with such a strong will to survive!
Thank you for providing a loving home to some of God's most amazing little birds. If you have any questions, please contact us. Also we request that you contact us once you've received your eggs. It helps us with peace of mind knowing that everything is okay.
God bless...
Misty & Amy Kennedy
meschelelaisaviary@gmail.com or amk377@gmail.com
(704) 578-7106
(704) 578-9946

Some updated info...

Hey everyone...just thought we'd check in and give you all some updated info. We have eggs everywhere, but this is a very good thing! Our hatch rate is at about 90-95% and all birds are strong and healthy. We mainly have blue & red breasted males for sale as far as live quail go. As we continue to build our stock and get more females, we will have other varieties for sale as well. Eggs are $10.00 per dozen plus $5-10 for shipping depending on where you live. We do NOT ship live quail. We do not ship outside of the United States (50 states) We have started making our own incubators for personal use. We have learned to regulate the temperature very well, and have raised our first clutch off our handmade incubators. We are now selling them to the public. Each incubator holds about 25-30 button quail eggs. They are $30.00 each. We have checked with the Post Office and calculated the shipping cost. Our incubators cost $55-60 total depending on where you live. This is relatively inexpensive if you look at other similar incubators. We believe in asking for a fair price and not gouging people.

A few more reminders/updates about placing orders

WE DO NOT SHIP LIVE BUTTON QUAIL. WE ONLY SHIP EGGS.



We only sell fresh eggs. Eggs are good for up to 5 days, so we recommend incubating them as soon as possible. We can not guarantee hatch rate due to many factors beyond our control. This includes weather, shipping procedures, etc. We always send extra just in case some of your eggs don't hatch. If you have any questions, concerns, comments etc please email us, leave a comment on our blog, or you may contact us at either 704-578-7106 or 704-578-9946...

Thank you!!

Amy & Misty Kennedy

Contact US

Contact Us:

Amy & Misty Dawn Kennedy
704-578-7106 or 704-578-9946
meschelelaisaviary@gmail.com

We live in rural York, SC. Call for specific address & directions if you would like to drop by and see our quail or pick up some eggs in person.

If for any reason you are not satisfied with our service or your eggs/live quail, please contact us. We want to hear your comments, concerns, suggestions, feedback etc.

FAQ

FAQ ABOUT CHINESE BUTTON QUAIL

Q: What other birds can you house with button quail?
A. Chinese Button quail can go in aviary's that house pet birds or you may put them in a chicken coop. If you are keeping them outside please make sure you have a light for them especially in the winter. Buttons can be housed with chickens, but you need to keep a close on eye on things. Do not put with aggressive chickens. They go well with Bantams, Seramas silkies, etc. We have known several people who have housed them with chickens with no issues. We have been told that the key is to put baby chickens in at the same time as you put in the button quail. If they grow up together, the chickens will protect the quail and care for them and be around them as though they are part of their flock/group.
Q: How much are our button quail? How much are eggs?
A:We charge $5.00 per red/blue breasted button quail. At this time (May 2012), that is the only type we are selling. As we build our stock up, we will be selling other varieties of Chinese button quail. Eggs are $10 per dozen. Eggs can include any of the following types: blue/red breasted, splashed, pearl, white, or European. We can not guarantee what type you will get or your hatch rate. That said, our hatch rate is around 90%.

Q: How long is the incubation period? What kind of an incubator should I use?
A:Eggs will begin hatching around the 16th day. You need to stop turning eggs on the 13th day. The last three days the bird is trying to find out which part of the shell to start pecking at. If you turn the egg you could confuse the process. You should only use an incubator that is made from Styrofoam. If you use any other material you will mostly likely not have your incubator at the right temperature or humidity levels.

Q: If I breed two of the same kind of quail will I get the same color as the parents?
A. Not necessarily. Usually you will. However, they do not breed true. Genetics play a big factor. A lot of times button quail will carry the traits of their grandparents or great grand parents. Example: Two Europeans are bred. Babies could be any European or splashed...or a combination of the two.

Q: What kind of environment do button quail live in?
A:For the first six weeks, your button quail need to be in a brooder with a light on them. Brooders are extremely easy to make. See our page on button quail care. After six weeks old, if you wish, button quail can be taken off light. At this point they are ready for permanent housing. You can put them either in a glass aquarium, an aviary, chicken coop, or some other type of appropriate cage. These birds are quite tiny which is important to keep in mind. If you do put them in a chicken coop be mindful of the type of chicken you put them with. Do not put them in with any type of aggressive chickens. Silkie chickens, bantams, and Seramas are the best type of chicken to put them with. As in any case when housing new birds together, keep a close eye on them until you are certain there are no issues.

Q: How do you tell the difference between male & female?
A: Most males have a THIN white "bib/ban" around or under their neck; hens do not, and are more muted in color (i.e., camouflage for nesting). Males SOMETIMES make a low growling sound (puffing out their throat) before calling. It's called "revving up". We have never heard a hen do this, but most males seem to do it on occasion. They kind of make a little bounce with their neck, puff up the throat, make the growl one or more times, and then stretch up to make the actual call. Also males will have red or blue in the vent area or on their backs.

Q: What are the different colors & varieties?
A: There are about 15 variations in total. These include: Splashed, Pearl, Blue & Red Breasted, White, Cinnamon/Fawn, Blue Faced, and Silver. There are several mutations to each of these that you can have.

Q: What is the average life expectancy?
A: 3-5 years for males and 2-4 years for females.

Q: Other than their regular food, what else do button quail eat?
A: Button quail are omnivorous. They will readily eat seeds, but they also enjoy small worms, meal worms, crickets, small insects, small grubs, and vegetables and fruits. Like most animals, individuals may have their favorites among these foods. For vegetables and fruits, you might try sliced bananas, sliced pears or plums, broccoli, small tomato slices, and fresh grass or clover clippings

Q: How do I place an order? Please either e-mail or contact us by cell phone to place an order. You may email us at meschelelaisaviary@gmail.com or mcbcards@yahoo.com. Please contact us by phone at 704-578-7106 or 704-578-9946. Please note that while we will ship eggs as quickly as possible to you, there may be a day or two wait as there may be orders ahead of you. Thanks for reading and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

Prices for Button Quail

**IF THE PRICES BELOW ARE TOO HIGH FOR YOU, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE CAN WORK WITH YOU** May take trades too.

You must buy at least four...regardless if you want babies or adults. These are group birds and do much better in groups of four more.

EGGS:

We sell eggs! Eggs are $10.00 per dozen. $5.00 shipping charge applies to orders shipped within North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Shipping is a few extra dollars for those who live outside of these states. Shipping will never be more than $10.00 and this only would occur if we were shipping to the West Coast etc. Eggs will be a variety of the different types of button quail we have. We can not guarantee types or hatch rate. Our hatch rate is about 95% but many factors outside of our control determine hatching rate.

ADULTS:

European, Splashed, White, Calico- $10.00 each. These are very limited at the moment.
Blue & Red Breasted-$5.00 each. We have plenty of these but mostly male
Speckled or Pearl or Slate-$8.00 each...very limited at the moment

BABIES:

At this time, we won't sell more than five babies to the same person. On all of these babies, it is very hard to tell what each baby will be as it gets older. We have about an 80% accuracy rate.  It's also hard to tell what sex they are until they are about four weeks old.

European, White, or Splashed or Calico $10 for each..
Blue & Red Breasted $5 for each
Speckled or Pearl or Slate $5 for each

All of these birds come from a Prize Winning Licensed Flock. The colors/varies are rare especially the European and Splashed.

A majority of the money we receive from sales is put back into our birds. We also donate to a few local and nationwide bird rescue groups.

Caring For Baby & Adult Chinese Button Quail

Chinese Button Quail are actually pretty easy birds to take care of. They don't require a lot of fuss and require zero hand feeding when they are born. From the moment they hatch, they are able to drink and eat on their own. If they don't eat within an hour of being hatched, often times they won't make it. These are strong little birds though for being so small. Their food MUST be grounded until they are about four-six weeks old. We just use a little coffee grinder. We use Dumor Chick Starter. The most important thing when feeding them is making sure they get enough protein. You want a feed that has AT LEAST 24% protein until they are about six weeks of age. Then you can change their food and put them on Chick Starter/Grower. This feed must have at least 20%. Another important aspect of caring for button quail is making sure they are consistently hydrated. Providing adequate water is important but it's not just how much water you provide, it's HOW you provide it. When Chinese Button Quail are first born, they can drown very easily. The easiest and cheapest way to prevent this is to buy plastic water holders that you can buy from any farm and feed store. You need to put marbles inside the opening at the bottom so that the babies can not slip or drown. They will be attracted to the shiny marbles and this encourages them to drink right from the start. They will peck at the water, but be assured they are getting enough as long as you put down water 2-3 times per day. When feeding them you can put their ground up food on the bottom of the brooder (on top of the shelf liner) They will peck at the good. Button quail are great little foragers.

bag of feed

bottle & marbles for water

It's best to keep these babies inside, however if you do decide to house them outside make sure they have a light. This is especially important during winter months. If they have a proper light they can stay outside all year long. Baby button quail need a brooder until they are about six weeks old. A brooder isn't hard to make or buy. We bought a plastic storage tote/storage box that's about the size of a normal under the bed storage container (that you might put sweaters or leftover Christmas paper in) We cut a big square out in ours and put small gage wiring on top secured with zip ties. A lot of people just use a a ten or twenty gallon aquarium with a screened lid. You will definitely need a light. This can be bought for about $10 at a farm and feed store or for a little more at Petsmart. The temperature in the brooder should remain around 95 degrees. If it drops below this , the chicks will get cold and could die. Last but not least you will need to purchase shelf liner and line the bottom of your brooder with it. This prevents splayed leg (where the chicks legs fall out to the sides of their body) If the chick is constantly slipping, it won't develop good hip and leg support. As you can see, you can make or build your own brooder for less than $30 easily. Once the babies reach six weeks old, you can take them off the light. Below is a picture of a brooder.

Once they reach adulthood, they don't really require much other than food and water. Their area will need to be cleaned once per week. Shelf liner washes off very easily and can be reused. We also use pine shavings once they are around four weeks old. About once per month, you will want to do a major cleaning. Below are some pictures of the brooder to give you an idea of what you can do.

Brooder for chicks

Top of brooder

Our New Babies...Born March 17, 2011

This marks our third clutch of  baby Chinese Button Quail to hatch. This morning we had a little baby born into the world sometime between 10pm last night March 16th and 7 am today March 17th. It was all alone and chirping quite a bit as if to say "hey come on everyone, it's great out here!" They are so cute when they are that small...still trying to find their legs to stand on and figuring out balance etc. About an hour later a little darkie was born. He's struggling a little, but that's to be expected during the first few days with these guys and gals. It's now about 7 pm and we've had in total about 20 babies hatch today. We are very pleased with our success rate...too soon to tell what kinds we have. We're just hoping that most of them make it, which they should. Below are some pictures of our little guys and gals...Here are a few pictures we've taken so far. They are the size of a penny when they are born! We will continue to update their pictures as they grow older.

 

Update:

May 7, 2012

We are so excited! New babies were born today. We have had about a 95% hatch rate with this newest clutch. We always love to see what kinds we will have. All babies are very healthy and strong looking...hard to tell what they will be yet, but we will keep everyone posted.