Do King Quails Need Nesting Boxes?

The king quail, also known as the button quail, is a tiny breed of quail. It's said to be easy to manage, raise and tame. These birds are known to be quite noisy. They require an aviary, so that they are not too close to other neighbors. They spend their time on the floors of their cages, including their "nesting areas."

  1. Habits of King Quail

    • The tiny king or button quail spends its entire life on the aviary floor, vacuuming up seeds spilled by other aviary residents. These quails most often coexist with finches and budgerigars. Because of their tiny size, mouse-proof wire should be placed on the bottom of their aviary, so the babies cannot fall through.

    Nesting

    • The king quail spend most of their time on the floor. They usually make a nesting area of dried grasses and leaves in a back, secluded corner of the aviary. They usually make a small "hole or indentation" in the corner on the floor to build their nest for the eggs, which incubate in about 18 to 20 days. They do not need nesting boxes for their young.

    Considerations

    • Although it does not need a nesting box, the king quail hen may use a finches nesting box, laid on its side in a corner away from drafts. The female can lay an egg every day of the year. Incubation time is 16 days.