Hi there everybody. So... I'm a BIT unprepared for these guys. I usually avoid getting any kind of bird unless I'm 100% prepared for them but the closest ones were a long drive, and I'm already making that drive today for some new Ko Shamo, so I went ahead and set up a meeting, since I've only got a few more things that need doing. I've got a coop/covered run for them, all it needs is more roosts and some nesting boxes installed - I'm using quarantine as a grace period to get this done. But I do have a few questions:
- What should I use to transport them? I was planning on a small dog crate. They are Fantails, I don't know if this makes any kind of difference. Would it be better to use something dark so they don't fly around too much, like a sturdy cardboard box?
- I'm doing quarantine for 2 weeks. I have an extra-large (Great Dane size) dog crate, and I am not sure if I should put it inside the house or on the porch. Are they particularly noisy in the morning? Would they be OK outside if it's currently getting down to around 50 degrees at night? (70 during the day)?
- Just double-checking my knowledge: Fantails can fly, they just don't do it a lot? I'm a little bit worried about my Partridge picking at them. I currently have 9 4-month old Partridge in this same pen/coop. I've set up a big bunch of branches on one end of the run and will soon be installing plenty of roosts inside, but if the Chukar choose to be bratty, I can count on the pigeons being willing to fly up (about 4 feet) to avoid this? I've never seen the Partridge actually act AGGRESSIVE toward another bird, no chasing or biting, they just seem to... recreationally pick each other. Just hanging out, sunning themselves, and oh hey let's pick this dude's entire oil gland out. They seem to actually enjoy the action, but like I said, they don't run across the pen just to pick another bird to death. They only seem to do it to whoever is standing right next to them.
- How big should the nesting boxes be? I'm thinking maybe half the size of a chicken nesting box, is that adequate? How far off the bottom of the coop should I place them?
Thanks for any help!
- What should I use to transport them? I was planning on a small dog crate. They are Fantails, I don't know if this makes any kind of difference. Would it be better to use something dark so they don't fly around too much, like a sturdy cardboard box?
- I'm doing quarantine for 2 weeks. I have an extra-large (Great Dane size) dog crate, and I am not sure if I should put it inside the house or on the porch. Are they particularly noisy in the morning? Would they be OK outside if it's currently getting down to around 50 degrees at night? (70 during the day)?
- Just double-checking my knowledge: Fantails can fly, they just don't do it a lot? I'm a little bit worried about my Partridge picking at them. I currently have 9 4-month old Partridge in this same pen/coop. I've set up a big bunch of branches on one end of the run and will soon be installing plenty of roosts inside, but if the Chukar choose to be bratty, I can count on the pigeons being willing to fly up (about 4 feet) to avoid this? I've never seen the Partridge actually act AGGRESSIVE toward another bird, no chasing or biting, they just seem to... recreationally pick each other. Just hanging out, sunning themselves, and oh hey let's pick this dude's entire oil gland out. They seem to actually enjoy the action, but like I said, they don't run across the pen just to pick another bird to death. They only seem to do it to whoever is standing right next to them.
- How big should the nesting boxes be? I'm thinking maybe half the size of a chicken nesting box, is that adequate? How far off the bottom of the coop should I place them?
Thanks for any help!
