Quails & Nesting
Quail are ground nesters and like to nest under thick shrubs, woodpiles, or around storage areas. Due to habitat loss they sometimes try to nest above ground in peoples planter pots and even on second story balconies. However, they usually fail in those situations since they either get stuck or can’t take the fall.
Higher Temperatures are Contributing to Smaller Clutch Sizes
Quails mate for life. Mama lays one egg a day until she hits 12-18 and then she starts incubating. Ideally the eggs are all supposed to hatch at the same time because they are not supposed to start developing before actually incubating them.
However, since the temperatures are rising above 100 degrees earlier and earlier, the eggs are self incubating and it is leading to smaller clutch sizes and more failed babies.
Quail are like chickens so the eggs are supposed to hatch about the same time and about an hour after hatch they are ready to run, jump, and eat on their own following their family.
This means if only two eggs hatch early because they self incubated the parent will think the other eggs were non-viable and abandon them. This leads to smaller clutch sizes.
After the parent leaves, the eggs continue to incubate and hatch without a parent. I believe some of the babies are able to instinctively regroup with their families since the quail run in the same territory day after day. That said, this makes them extremely vulnerable to failing.
What to Know About Why Quail Flee & What to Do
Quail are also a prey species. They have no way of fighting. Fleeing is their only defense. This means if they are scared, they will all scatter in different directions leaving babies lost in garages and such.
When the coast is cleared, the parents will come back to regather the young but sometimes that opportunity is not given. Please give parents time to find babies if you were the one that caused the original disturbance.
What to Do if You Have an Injured Quail
If you have a quail that needs help these are the important steps.
Put them in a container with a flat bottom. They want to move and run. Make sure it has high sides and no holes because they jump and want to run away.
Be very careful when handling. A common injury is for them to jump out of a person’s hands who's trying to help them and hurt themselves falling.
Bird temps are 101 degrees so please do not put them in air conditioning because it will kill them.
They also drown very easily. You can offer water in a shallow Snapple cap with pebbles in it but if they get wet and cold, they will fail.
You can get crushed bird seed or cheerio crumbs.
Please take them to a rehab—they need to be raised with a family. Interesting and sad fact—a quail will die of loneliness. If they are kept solitary for over 48 hours they usually fail. They require the companionship of other quail for proper rehab.