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CelticQuailKnight ā Arthur Perched
Published: 2019-01-18 19:18:25 +0000 UTC; Views: 140; Favourites: 11; Downloads: 0
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So my laptop is indisposed, currently, and for the time being I'm on the other one that belongs to my parents. And I found a folder full of quail pictures on it that I'd forgotten I'd even taken.It was a pleasant surprise.
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Comments: 7
Iām getting quails soon. Any advice? Should I put them in with my hens?
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Bobwhites? They're the only ones I've kept so all my experience is with them, and while I'd assume that most of the basic things with quail probably extend across most species, I can't be totally positive, but I'll gladly share my experiences with you ^^
As for putting them in with your hens, I'm not sure. I haven't kept chickens before, (though I'd like to someday, they're lovely birds ^^) I suppose you could certainly try it, though it might be better to have some sort of backup enclosure if the two species don't end up mixing well together. Are you getting grown birds or are you getting chicks/hatching the eggs yourself? I'm thinking that if you had some way to introduce the quail to the hens when they're, not babies, probably, but younger, they'd likely have a better chance at getting along. I'd love to find out if they all do well together... A quick google search suggested it may not be the best idea, but you can't be certain until you try it, I suppose.
In terms of general advice, definitely do what you can to have a larger number of hens to cocks. Most sources I remember reading before getting mine suggested a ratio of 1 male to 2 or 3 females but obviously if you're getting eggs or chicks too young to be sexed, then you'd have no way of knowing until they mature. Unless you can vent sex them yourself, of course. The males, for the most part, are okay most of the year, but in late spring-early summer once their breeding season hits, they will fight, and it can get pretty brutal, though it doesn't always. Obviously they birds have their individual personalities, and some males will probably get along better than others during that time.
Quail are definitely flighty, and tend to spook easily at anything that they perceive as a threat, though they can definitely become accustomed to things and won't be as likely to flush everywhere whenever they see it. For example, when mine were chicks, my cat would jump up next to where they were kept and watch them, though thankfully he never made any attempts to get at them. Even once adults living outside, he could stroll right by their pen and they wouldn't bat an eye. I can only assume that was because he wasn't a known threat when they were young, for whatever reason, and once they bred and didn't freeze or flush around him, their chicks learned that he wasn't a threat, too. Conversely though, a few friends once showed up to my house with their service dogs, who were perfectly calm and well-behaved. The quail had never seen dogs before, and they all hit the ceiling.
As far as their enclosure goes, they will definitely appreciate a space that gives them access to dirt; they love dirt-bathing in summer when it's hot. Of course that doesn't mean you have to worry about getting rid of the grass in one corner or something; they'll eat it all themselves XD I always liked to give them plant matter. Things like big ferns, sticks, tree branches I cut with leaves or needles still on them. Both so they'd eat the greenery, and so that they'd have little places to hide and nest if, if they chose to. They love their little hiding spots. Depending on where you live and how many snow you get/how cold it gets there, just know that they don't really like winter all that much XD We're up in New Hampshire, which is kinda north of their natural range, so we'd give them lots of hay to nest in inside their coop, and for when it got absolutely freezing, we put a nice heating lamp in there for them to keep toasty ^^
The hens, once old enough, will lay so, so many eggs. Tiny eggs, of course, but a lot of 'em XD They have very thick shells, so if you ever try to cook any, keep in mind it takes more effort to crack them than you think, and I speak from experience lol The chicks are the cutest, tiniest things ever, and like most game birds the first 'adult' feathers they grow in are on their wings, so they can fly pretty young if they have to.
I'm sure you know already, having hens, but be sure to make their enclosure and coop as predator-proof as you can. I lost a lot of birds from Cooper's Hawks and... something else that we never managed to see.
Last but not least, as you can probably guess, they love eating plants and bugs, but they especially love berries. Mine's favorite food of all time appeared to be blueberries. I don't know why it was blueberries in specific, but I can tell you that if I threw a handful of blueberries in with them, they'd go absolutely nuts. They loved those things XD
Aaaaaaaand this reply is... obnoxiously long, I am so sorry X'D Hopefully some of what's there is useful to you! Good luck with your birds!Ā
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Maybe bobwhites. My dads friend is giving us some poulets. So young. Thanks for your perspective. Have a nice night!
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Ah cool!
You're very welcome, you too!
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I laughed at the part where you said that they all hit the ceiling. LOL!
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It's true. When quail are spooked, their first reaction to escape danger is to fly away, so they'll all shoot up into flight like rockets. They don't fly a lot, and not usually for very long, but they can fly very fast, and cover a lot of distance in just one burst to escape. So they quite literally hit the top of their enclosure, poor things :'D
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Now that mentioned it, I'm still laughing. HAHAHAHA!!!!
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