Surrogate Button Quail Research Project

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I have to use a hen? Could I use a male?

            I would prefer you to use a hen. They are a lot less aggressive and tend to be more accepting of chicks.

2. What if I don’t have any eggs?

            If you don’t have any eggs, I can provide 10 for you at no cost. Provided that you pay for shipping and you live in the US. Special arrangements can be made if you live in Europe or Canada. If you would like more than 10, you will have to pay for them.

3. What do I have to do?

            Your are required to a) keep a close watch on the hen and chicks to make sure that nobody is being aggressive, b) fill out a form ONCE a week and either e-mail them to me or mail them to me all at once. I will be monitoring the chicks for 4 weeks. After they are four weeks old, I would like the occasional update. When one of the surrogate chicks starts laying, I would like for you to use her as a surrogate hen, to see how she reacts.

4. How much will this cost?

            Well, provided you have quail food, and incubator and a brooder, not much at all. If you need eggs, I can send you 10 for free, you pay shipping. It costs me about 1 dollar per day to keep my birds, run the incubator and heat lamp, and provide suet and osyter grit , they are not expensive birds.