My dog saved my quail today! Story time:D

So today my little brown King quail escaped. Not sure why since I wasn't trying to grab her and she just flew out. This wasn't really a problem though but then my dog spotted her and started running towards her. Luckily, I grabbed her by the collar before she could bite my quail but then she got panicked and flew away. I was already running with my dog to get her inside before I could See where she landed. We have pretty long grass that's probably been due to be mowed for a while and I had no idea where she was and was looking and looking. By now she could be any where in the yard and I keep trying to scan over iit. I tried playing quail sounds and that didn't work. I then got my brother to help me and we started checking in the park for her that's behind our house. Nothing. Then my brother got the idea for me to bring the dog out to find her. This was kinda risky though because she could take a bite out of the quail before we realised she had found it. But it was getting late so I didnt have a choice. So I put her on a leash and let her come out. I think she sort of remembered the quail from before and was a bit interested to look. So I take her around every where and suddenly she starts sniffing wildly. I begin searching and then I found her! I quickly pick her up before my dog can actually find her and she got returned to her home safely. Probably slightly traumatised, but safe. The moral of this story would be to always make sure your dog is locked away before you open your quails hutch lid. Anything like this ever happen to any of you guys??




This is Luna btw, the champ sniffer dog

Great story! Not with quail but my dogs, a lab and a golden retriever, have helped me locate my chickens after dark before. It happened that somehow the door going into the coop got knocked closed, keeping a few of the chickens out. Some just hunkered in front of the door but after grabbing them up and putting them in the coop, a quick head count told me I was still short a few. Started looking around the bushes and tall grass but had no luck. Let my dogs help and they quickly found the the fugitives - with wild tail wagging and excitement - they don't ever hurt them.

I've had a button escape, yes, but I had no dog at the time. I had cats though. They saw the bird fly from the cage, but luckily couldn't find it when it landed. I could, though, but catching it was an issue. The bird took off again, flying over the roof and into the garden where I luckily was able to locate it again in some bushes. Eventually I caught it by placing an old wire bird cage with no bottom on one side of the bushes, positioned so the cage was slightly elevated to allow the bird to enter on the bush side, and going to the other side and pretend to reach for the bird. It went straight into the cage and on the second attempt I managed to get the elevated end of the cage down before the bird got out again ^^
I've actually read about someone having a dog that would bring the quail back unharmed when they escaped - that's pretty impressive!

redsoxs said:

Great story!  Not with quail but my dogs, a lab and a golden retriever, have helped me locate my chickens after dark before.  It happened that somehow the door going into the coop got knocked closed, keeping a few of the chickens out.  Some just hunkered in front of the door but after grabbing them up and putting them in the coop, a quick head count told me I was still short a few.  Started looking around the bushes and tall grass but had no luck.  Let my dogs help and they quickly found the the fugitives - with wild tail wagging and excitement - they don't ever hurt them.  

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that's amazing it's so good they didn't hurt them. I'm sure if my dog had actually found the quail, she wouldn't be quite as friendly lol

DK newbie said:

I've had a button escape, yes, but I had no dog at the time. I had cats though. They saw the bird fly from the cage, but luckily couldn't find it when it landed. I could, though, but catching it was an issue. The bird took off again, flying over the roof and into the garden where I luckily was able to locate it again in some bushes. Eventually I caught it by placing an old wire bird cage with no bottom on one side of the bushes, positioned so the cage was slightly elevated to allow the bird to enter on the bush side, and going to the other side and pretend to reach for the bird. It went straight into the cage and on the second attempt I managed to get the elevated end of the cage down before the bird got out again ^^
I've actually read about someone having a dog that would bring the quail back unharmed when they escaped - that's pretty impressive!

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that was a really good idea! If one of mine ever escapes again and I can't reach it, I'll try your method

Awwww hehe what a beautiful girl! What breed is Luna?

Thank goodness my "Derp Chirps" don't know what to do even if they fall out of the cage

I have dogs and cats, but not in this story. I keep my quail in a dog crate inside my garage and the garage door was open and I was watering the birds and one of mine flew out and kept flying until it hit the gate and fell down. If it wasn't for that gate I would have one less quail. Also you guys are lucky that those cats didn't have a quail supper another time one of mine flew out and the cat was about to pounce and have supper, luckily I caught it first. I love your quail ecscapees and feline and canine rescues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 's

My Brittany has brought me live pheasants a few times. He will snatch them up if they won't flush and will just carry them to me.
A couple years ago, when one of my cots got loose, I let him go find it. It was completely unharmed but completely slobber covered when he brought back to me. Never understood that though because he always bites the heads off of doves.

Nice story!

One time my old quail coop had opened during the night. I may have not locked it right. 7/8 of them had run away. The only one who stayed had an injured leg. I found a few relatively close. Then I found the sixth one a hundred feet away. I couldn't find the last one, Bonavita. I searched for an hour with my brother. My brother ended up finding her some four hundred feet away. I can't believe she had gone that far!