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Quail mating behaviors: learning stages or tough to get some love?

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post #1 of 7

6/28/12 at 8:58pm

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fiddleblue

Joined: 7/2009
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I am new to quail. The quail I obtained are I think fairly young adults, about 7-10 weeks old. I have noticed that when my male quail tries to mate, each female he latches onto, is unreceptive, and runs away as he is trying, and so I don't think he's very successful: he ends up just chasing her around holding onto some back feathers with his beak, or falling over when she runs off or pulls away. WIll this change over time, or is it going to just going to continue to be tough for him to find a receptive mate? I'm hoping to end up with some fertile eggs for incubation, but at this rate I don't know if any will be fertile.

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post #2 of 7

6/29/12 at 12:22am

Majd

Joined: 6/2012
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Hey, friend, young quail hens will refuse mating and try to avoid willing males, b/c of loss of experience and that's something new she wasn't used to experience when they were babies, and now they don't even know what laying eggs is for them its just like pue, but after a short time they will realise that they have to mate just using their instincs, and then they will approach from the male you have and mate with him, but don't expect them to get broody b/c it's really rare to find a domestic quail that goes broody... you have to incubate them at home.. ;) don't worry a lot i think prince charming will eventually put his magic on your hen's hearts.. hope they'll mate soon to have some babies!! :) leave us posted Poultry lover, Majd!!

post #3 of 7

6/29/12 at 11:12am

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fiddleblue

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Thank you for your advice! It's good to hear this is a stage that they go through when young. The males are charming lil' guys and I would love to be able to breed the quails eventually. I have heard others say the quails don't get broody, which is fine, because I would rather incubate the eggs in an incubator anyhow.

post #4 of 7

6/30/12 at 11:56am

Majd

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That's very good.... let me know if there are any updates b/c i am gonna buy some young quails soon, my old quails were coyote food :O

I am really happy that you know what to do know keep us posted ;)

post #5 of 7

6/30/12 at 8:42pm

brushycreek

Location: Red Oak Texas, 25miles S. of Dallas
Joined: 4/2012
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Yaa Hoo!! Got my first egg today! I got 2 quads from Stellar. 1 quad was 4 weeks the other was 2 1/2 weeks old. I had 5 brown and3 white. The egg came from the younger birds. They are about 6 1/2 weeks old. The younger roo hasn't even crowed yet!
I moved one pair of the older birds (8 weeks old) to the barn. And was really concerned about the heat. Did some heat control and got that problem solved. Still no eggs from the older pair. It has to be the heat! Looks like they are comin back in the house! The younger roo I had to seperate from his hatchmates (3 unsexed whites) because he was givin 2 of them heck. They are the smallest of the 3 white birds and the other white is noticeably larger. I am assuming I have 1 hen and 2 roo in the white birds. Should I move the brown birds back in the house since they are acclimated to the heat or leave them outside? Any thoughts?

post #6 of 7

7/1/12 at 1:03pm

Majd

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no just wait for them to get used to their new surrounding and then they will lay properly ;)

post #7 of 7

7/13/12 at 9:58pm

myfinefeatheredfriends

Location: Ohio
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Congrats on the quail and welcome! I have had quail for years now and love them to death. They will be fun

We have a flock of chickens (mostly Seramas), Call and Mallard ducks, a rescued Chinese goose, a Royal Palm turkey, button quail, Coturnix quail and 6 parrots.

First daughter due March 29, 2013