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My button is obsessed with eating paint chips!

post #1 of 7
5/9/12 at 4:48pm
Thread Starter 

I let my two tame buttons out to run around on my den room floor every evening. This past week, my hen, Bee, has been gung-ho for the peeling paint at the base of my doorframe. I put objects around it to block her from getting to it, but she is persistent! I've read of blue jays eating house paint for its calcium/limestone content. Is there something she feels is missing from her diet that would cause her to go after paint?

 

Here she is, stretching to get past my obstacles, poor Easter Bunny :(

 

IMAG0806.jpg

 

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post #2 of 7
5/10/12 at 10:16am

What's her diet like?

I'm a city girl with a country heart! Trying my hand at a house quail or two this summer, let's see how it goes...!

 

my "quail things" board on pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ohkayigetit/quail-things/

board contains stuff for "nesting" for my future quail, things to do with leftover eggs and shells, awesome quail decorum, amongst other cool pet related things...

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I'm a city girl with a country heart! Trying my hand at a house quail or two this summer, let's see how it goes...!

 

my "quail things" board on pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ohkayigetit/quail-things/

board contains stuff for "nesting" for my future quail, things to do with leftover eggs and shells, awesome quail decorum, amongst other cool pet related things...

Reply
post #3 of 7
5/10/12 at 10:42am

maybe there is something behind the chips, like and ant that she saw or something. i dunno

 

diet might be it as well.

 Wife, 2 sons, 2 dogs, 2 Coturnix Quails, and  4 Black & Mottled Bantam Cochins. Getting ready to move to France, pm me if you live over there!

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 Wife, 2 sons, 2 dogs, 2 Coturnix Quails, and  4 Black & Mottled Bantam Cochins. Getting ready to move to France, pm me if you live over there!

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post #4 of 7
5/10/12 at 10:59am
Thread Starter 

She eats a mix of chick starter crumble, powdered egg food (by Quicko) and a bit of millet. Garnished with dried greens and mealworms every day.

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post #5 of 7
5/10/12 at 5:26pm

Does she get any oyster shell or cuttle bone? Crushed up versions of either of those are beneficial to quails, especially females, since their eggs take up so much calcium.

I'm a city girl with a country heart! Trying my hand at a house quail or two this summer, let's see how it goes...!

 

my "quail things" board on pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ohkayigetit/quail-things/

board contains stuff for "nesting" for my future quail, things to do with leftover eggs and shells, awesome quail decorum, amongst other cool pet related things...

Reply

I'm a city girl with a country heart! Trying my hand at a house quail or two this summer, let's see how it goes...!

 

my "quail things" board on pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ohkayigetit/quail-things/

board contains stuff for "nesting" for my future quail, things to do with leftover eggs and shells, awesome quail decorum, amongst other cool pet related things...

Reply
post #6 of 7
5/10/12 at 5:34pm
Thread Starter 

Yes, I add some to her dish every day as well. It's an oyster shell/charcoal grit :)

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post #7 of 7
5/11/12 at 9:18pm

This is a silly guess, because I know quails have pretty decent eyesight... but maybe try keeping it in a separate dish? Maybe she can't find it easily enough amongst the rest of her food? hu.gif

 

Orrrrr maybe she just likes paint, who knows. :P

I'm a city girl with a country heart! Trying my hand at a house quail or two this summer, let's see how it goes...!

 

my "quail things" board on pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ohkayigetit/quail-things/

board contains stuff for "nesting" for my future quail, things to do with leftover eggs and shells, awesome quail decorum, amongst other cool pet related things...

Reply

I'm a city girl with a country heart! Trying my hand at a house quail or two this summer, let's see how it goes...!

 

my "quail things" board on pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ohkayigetit/quail-things/

board contains stuff for "nesting" for my future quail, things to do with leftover eggs and shells, awesome quail decorum, amongst other cool pet related things...

Reply
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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Other BackYard Poultry › Quail › My button is obsessed with eating paint chips!