Button Quail Birds Care Guide: Everything You Need to Know

If you have ever seen a button quail for the first time, you know what the fuss is about. These pint-sized birds pack enormous energy, curiosity and charm into a body smaller than your hand. Whether you want to keep them as pets, breed them, or hatch your first clutch, this button quail care guide covers habitat, diet, lifespan, eggs, incubation settings and chick care, so you can give them a long, healthy life.

Button quail quick-reference care chart

What is a button quail?

The button quail, also called the Chinese painted quail or Asian blue quail (Coturnix chinensis), is one of the smallest quail species in the world. It is native to southern China, South and Southeast Asia and Australia, and has become increasingly popular with US hobbyists and small-scale breeders. Their compact size, gentle temperament and entertaining personalities suit apartment keepers, backyard aviaries and anyone who wants something different from the usual backyard chicken.

Despite their size, button quail are bold and inquisitive. Males are known for striking plumage in browns, blues and chest patterns that vary by colour mutation. Females are more subtly coloured but just as active. They are ground dwellers, spending most of their time foraging, scratching and running at surprising speed along the floor of the enclosure.

Breeder tip: the most common first-time mistake is underestimating how fast button quail move. They can also burst straight upward when startled. Always make sure doors and lids are fully secured before you reach in.

Not sure button quail are the right species? Our coturnix vs bobwhite vs button quail comparison and our guide to deciding which bird species to hatch can help.

How big do button quail get?

Adult button quail grow to about 3.9 to 5.9 inches (10 to 15 cm) long and weigh 25 to 50 grams, roughly the length of a credit card up to an index card. They are among the smallest quail kept in the US.

That small size is a big advantage. You can house several birds in a space a larger bird would barely notice, which makes them popular with keepers who have limited room but still want the experience of keeping and breeding live birds.

Common beginner mistake: assuming a tiny bird can live in a tiny cage. Button quail are highly active and need floor space to stay healthy and stress-free. Cramped conditions lead to feather picking, fighting and reduced egg production.

Button quail lifespan

Button quail typically live about 3 to 5 years in captivity, and well-cared-for birds sometimes reach 6. Wild birds usually live shorter lives because of predators and environmental stress.

Four factors influence lifespan the most:

• Diet quality: birds on a balanced, high-protein diet tend to outlive those on poor nutrition.
• Housing conditions: clean, low-stress environments cut disease risk significantly.
• Predator protection: even indoor birds can be stressed by household pets prowling around the enclosure.
• Genetics: starting with healthy, well-bred stock from a reputable source gives you a strong foundation.

Button quail habitat: setting up the right space

The ideal button quail habitat has a solid floor, soft substrate, enough floor space and enrichment that encourages natural foraging. Floor space matters far more than height, since these birds rarely leave the ground. Allow at least 1 square foot per bird, and more whenever you can.

Enclosure type

Wire-bottom cages are hard on button quail feet over time and can cause injuries. Use a solid floor with a soft substrate instead. Good options include:

• Fine play sand
• Coconut coir
• Dried orchard grass or timothy hay
• Peat moss mixed with sand

Many keepers use large plastic storage bins, wooden hutches or custom aviaries. If you build an outdoor setup, make sure it is fully enclosed and predator-proof. Even small gaps can let in rodents, snakes and neighbourhood cats.

Temperature and humidity

Button quail are sensitive to temperature swings and do best between 65 and 85°F. Keep the enclosure out of drafts and away from sudden cold. Keep humidity moderate, because damp conditions promote respiratory illness and mould in bedding.

Breeder tip: change bedding at least once a week and do a full clean every two to three weeks. Droppings build up quickly, and damp, soiled bedding is a leading cause of respiratory problems in captive flocks.

Lighting

For breeding birds, keepers commonly provide around 14 to 16 hours of light a day, and a timer makes this easy. Shorter days can reduce laying.

Enrichment

• Small wooden hiding boxes or half-logs for shelter
• Dense clumps of artificial foliage for privacy
• Millet or seeds scattered to encourage foraging
• Low, stable perches close to the ground
• A shallow dust-bath dish filled with fine sand

Signs of stress to watch for

• Feather picking or bald patches on the neck and back
• Excessive hiding or refusing to come out for food
• Repetitive pacing along enclosure walls
• A sudden drop in egg production
• Laboured or open-mouth breathing

Best diet for button quail

Button quail thrive on a high-protein gamebird crumble with 24 to 28% protein, supplemented with small insects, chopped greens and the occasional fruit treat.

A well-rounded diet includes:

• High-protein gamebird starter or quail crumble (24 to 28% protein) as the main feed
• Small live or dried mealworms for extra protein and enrichment
• Finely chopped leafy greens such as kale, spinach or romaine
• Tiny amounts of soft fruit, such as blueberries or diced apple, as occasional treats
• Insoluble grit available at all times to support digestion
• A calcium source such as crushed oyster shell for laying hens

Foods to avoid:

• Large seeds such as sunflower seeds (choking risk for tiny beaks)
• Avocado, onion and garlic (toxic to birds)
• Salty, sugary or processed human food
• Anything mouldy or spoiled

Breeder tip: scatter part of each feeding across the substrate instead of putting everything in a bowl. It keeps birds mentally stimulated and stops dominant birds from monopolising the dish.

Water requirements for button quail

Button quail need fresh, clean water at all times. Use shallow waterers no deeper than half an inch so chicks and juveniles cannot drown.

Standard poultry waterers are often too deep for button quail. Nipple drinkers work well for adults and keep bedding much drier, which lowers the risk of respiratory illness. Refresh water daily and scrub waterers weekly to prevent bacterial buildup.

Males, females and keeping button quail together

Males tend to have bolder markings, richer chestnut underparts and a black-and-white throat pattern in the common colour, while females are duller and more barred. Colour mutations can blur these differences, so ask your breeder to confirm sex. Males also call, which females do not.

Keep one male with two or three females. Two males in one enclosure often fight, and a lone male with a single female can over-pester her. Introduce new birds gradually, and quarantine them first (see the health section).

Mixing button quail with other species is possible in a large, planted aviary, but it carries risks of bullying, injury and disease. Read our guide on keeping birds of different species together first.

Button quail eggs: breeding and hatching

For many keepers, breeding is the real excitement. Button quail eggs are tiny, roughly the size of a large marble, and usually cream to tan with brown speckles. A healthy female can lay up to one egg a day, and clutches are typically 4 to 8 eggs.

Natural vs. artificial incubation

Hens sometimes go broody, but it is not reliable in captivity, so many breeders use an incubator for consistent hatch rates. These are the settings button quail eggs need in a forced-air incubator (still-air units run warmer, so follow your manual):

• Temperature: 99.5°F
• Humidity: 50 to 55% from day 1 to day 13
• Lockdown: on day 13, stop turning and raise humidity to 65 to 70%
• Turning: several times a day until lockdown (an automatic turner makes this easy)
• Incubation period: about 16 days

Even a few degrees off target can badly hurt hatch rates, so precise temperature control matters. For every species side by side, see our quail egg incubation temperature chart. New to hatching? Start with our beginner's guide to incubating quail eggs, learn the basics of egg candling and how to maintain incubator humidity.

Choosing the right incubator for button quail eggs

Because the eggs are so small and delicate, prioritise three features: precision temperature control, reliable humidity management and an automatic egg turner. Browse the full range on our egg incubators page, or read our best quail egg incubator comparison for full reviews.

• IncuView 3 Pro Egg Incubator: 360-degree transparent lid, automatic egg turning and digital temperature control. A top beginner-friendly choice for small button quail eggs.
• HovaBator 2370 with Electronic Thermostat: circulating-air incubator with reliable electronic temperature control, trusted by quail breeders across the US.
• AccuHatch 360 Tabletop Incubator: compact tabletop unit with a clear 360-degree lid, built for small quail eggs.
• ChickBator 3200 CL 12V: runs on 12V power, ideal for off-grid setups or as a backup during power outages.
• GQF Cabinet Egg Incubator 1550: commercial-grade cabinet unit for breeders scaling up. Browse the full cabinet incubator collection if you are ready to grow.

Breeder tip: "We hear this one from customers constantly: eggs go bad in week one, and the incubator gets blamed, when the real issue was setting eggs before the unit had stabilised. Run your incubator for 24 to 48 hours before setting eggs and watch the thermostat hold steady before you trust it with a clutch." Our guide to rookie incubator setup mistakes covers more. If hatches still disappoint, see why hatch rates drop.

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How to care for button quail chicks after hatching

Button quail chicks are barely bigger than a bumblebee when they hatch. They are precocial, so they can walk and feed almost immediately. In the first critical days:

• Move chicks to a brooder set at 95°F once they are dry and mobile
• Lower the brooder temperature about 5°F each week until they are fully feathered
• Offer high-protein gamebird starter crumble ground to a very fine dust
• Use an extremely shallow water dish, or add clean marbles to the waterer, to prevent drowning
• Keep the brooder draft-free and away from direct sunlight and heat vents

For general brooding basics, see our guides to caring for newly hatched chicks and setting up a brooder.

Common beginner mistake: leaving chicks in the incubator too long out of worry about moving them. Once they are fully dry and mobile, move them to a warm brooder within a few hours. The incubator's conditions are no longer right for a hatchling.

Common health issues

Button quail are fairly hardy when kept properly, but watch closely for these problems.

Respiratory infections

Often triggered by cold drafts, damp or soiled bedding, or contact with unquarantined birds. Signs include laboured breathing, lethargy, puffed feathers and nasal discharge. Isolate any sick bird immediately and consult an avian vet.

Feather loss and fighting

Usually caused by too many males, overcrowding or introducing new birds too quickly. Keep one male to two or three females and introduce birds gradually.

Mites, lice and internal parasites

External parasites such as mites and lice can affect any poultry species, and birds can also pick up internal worms. Weight loss, poor feathering or unusual droppings are warning signs, so ask an avian vet about testing and treatment. Prevention steps:

• Check feathers and skin routinely
• Keep bedding clean and dry
• Offer a regular dust bath so birds can manage mites naturally
• Quarantine new birds for about 30 days before adding them to your flock

Are button quail right for you?

Button quail suit anyone who wants a low-maintenance, endlessly entertaining small bird. They are quiet enough for suburban or apartment living, need little space and breed readily with proper care. They are not ideal as a cuddly pet, since most prefer to watch you rather than be handled, but patient keepers can get them used to a hand offering treats.

Ready to start breeding? Explore our egg incubators and find the model that fits your setup and budget.

FAQs (People Also Ask)

Q: What is the difference between button quail and coturnix quail?

Ans: Button quail (Chinese painted quail, Coturnix chinensis) are tiny, weighing roughly 25 to 50 grams, and are mostly kept as pets and aviary birds. Coturnix quail are much larger and are raised for eggs and meat. Button quail also hatch faster, in about 16 days. For a full side-by-side, read our coturnix vs bobwhite vs button quail comparison.

Q: How long do button quail live?

Ans: Button quail typically live about 3 to 5 years in captivity, and some well-kept birds reach 6. Diet, clean housing, low stress and good genetics have the biggest effect.

Q: How big do button quail get?

Ans: Adult button quail are about 3.9 to 5.9 inches (10 to 15 cm) long and weigh roughly 25 to 50 grams, making them one of the smallest quail kept in the US.

Q: How many button quail can I keep together?

Ans: Plan on at least 1 square foot of floor space per bird, and more is better. Keep one male with two or three females. Two males in the same enclosure often fight unless the space is large and heavily planted.

Q: How can I tell male and female button quail apart?

Ans: In the common wild-type colour, males have a bold black-and-white throat pattern and richer chestnut underparts, while females are duller and more barred. Colour mutations can make this harder, and males also call, which females do not. Ask your breeder to confirm sex when you buy.

Q: Can button quail live with other birds?

Ans: Sometimes, in a large, planted aviary with peaceful species, but it is a risk. Larger or more active birds can bully or injure them, and mixed groups can spread disease. Read our guide on keeping birds of different species together before you try it.

Q: Can button quail fly?

Ans: Yes, in short, fast bursts straight up when startled. Keep the enclosure covered and close doors and lids fully before you reach in, because they can also dart past your hand.

Q: What do button quail eat?

Ans: A high-protein gamebird crumble with 24 to 28% protein should be the main feed, supplemented with small mealworms, finely chopped greens, tiny amounts of soft fruit, and insoluble grit. Laying hens also benefit from a calcium source such as crushed oyster shell.

Q: How long do button quail eggs take to hatch?

Ans: About 16 days. Incubate at 99.5°F in a forced-air incubator with 50 to 55% humidity until day 13, then stop turning and raise humidity to 65 to 70% for lockdown. See our quail egg incubation temperature chart for every species.

Q: What incubator is best for button quail eggs?

Ans: Look for precise temperature control, reliable humidity management and an automatic turner that handles very small eggs. Our best quail egg incubator comparison covers the top models.

Q: What temperature do button quail chicks need?

Ans: Start the brooder at 95°F, then lower it by about 5°F each week until the chicks are fully feathered. Use a very shallow water dish, or add clean marbles, so chicks cannot drown. See our newly hatched chick care guide for general brooding basics.

Q: Are button quail eggs edible?

Ans: Yes, but they are tiny, so most keepers hatch them rather than eat them. For how quail eggs compare with chicken eggs, see our quail vs chicken egg nutrition comparison.

Q: Why are my button quail eggs not hatching?

Ans: The most common causes are an unstable incubator temperature, wrong humidity and setting eggs before the unit has stabilised. See why hatch rates drop for a step-by-step troubleshooting guide.

Start your flock the right way

Button quail prove that great things come in small packages. With the right habitat, a balanced diet, attentive care and reliable hatching equipment, these tiny birds can bring years of enjoyment. Set things up properly from the start, choose quality equipment and enjoy every step.

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