Combining quail flocks

We are kind of new to quail. I have 4 females and I think one male (although he makes no noise yet and he is plenty old enuff) in a brooder pen,; in another pen I have 20 younger quail (about 3 weeks younger) various sexes (at least 4 males, they are making male calls). I'd like to combine them all in one pen. Is that a bad idea? My pen is large enough for that many, but is it not good to have that many together? Are they similar to chickens with regards to pecking order? And will 4 or 5 males b ok in one large pen, or will they fight?Any help would be appreciated.

Are you trying to combine males all together or are u trying to combine all the males and 4femails?

I am trying to combine all of them... The 20 in one pen and the 5 in another pen together. There are at least 5 males that I know of for sure.

Klwright1122 said:

We are kind of new to quail. I have 4 females and I think one male (although he makes no noise yet and he is plenty old enuff) in a brooder pen,; in another pen I have 20 younger quail (about 3 weeks younger) various sexes (at least 4 males, they are making male calls). I'd like to combine them all in one pen. Is that a bad idea? My pen is large enough for that many, but is it not good to have that many together? Are they similar to chickens with regards to pecking order? And will 4 or 5 males b ok in one large pen, or will they fight?Any help would be appreciated.

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I'm assuming these are coturnix but we have to know what species so please include that in the future. They could bobs, buttons, harlequins, blue scaled, valley, gambels, mountain, etc. If they are bobwhites almost none of what I'm going to say will apply.

4 or 5 males will get along in a pen that is a few hundred square feet but I wouldn't do it with less than that or it'll just be a headache. Also try to ensure there are at least 7-8 hens per roo to help keep overbreeding down. They can breed hens to death and it happens often with multiple roos because they all occasionally pick one bird to be their favorite to mate.

If you hatched those 20 chicks there is almost no physical way that only 4-5 are male. It's always 40-60% males.

They aren't quite like chickens when it comes to pecking order because well if you screw up their perceived order they'll kill each other. They get very aggressive regarding territory so you'll know if you have them in enough space in short order.

WHen you combine groups of quail you need to put them all togehter in a new cage. If you add one group to the other group's cage you'll have a territory battle on your hands. They think the cage is theirs and they will protect their territory/food source very aggressively. It also makes life a little easier to throw them all together in the middle of the night when they can't see well.

They will be just fine together, I would bring older birds to younger though, that will humble the older birds.... I have noticed in my quail that until they get used to the "intruder" they will peck at it, unless they all are busy with something else, like veggies or a plastic box full of shavings and a little dust, that should keep them preoccupied with other then figuring who is invading whom make sure the cage is big enough, or place a half divider for a chased ones to escape to the other side of the cage, that sort of give them a sense of space..... Somehow..... My birds love it.....
Hope that helps....

Yes...they are Courtnix. I'm not sure the exact ratio of male/female yet. I just know there are at least 5 males based on color and crowing so far. I will watch for over breeding and too many males. Will separate as needed. Thanks for all your help.

Allavina said:

They will be just fine together, I would bring older birds to younger though, that will humble the older birds.... I have noticed in my quail that until they get used to the "intruder" they will peck at it, unless they all are busy with something else, like veggies or a plastic box full of shavings and a little dust, that should keep them preoccupied with other then figuring who is invading whom

make sure the cage is big enough, or place a half divider for a chased ones to escape to the other side of the cage, that sort of give them a sense of space..... Somehow..... My birds love it.....
Hope that helps....

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Please don't give advice that might lead to birds dying.

That harmless picking at the intruder you are talking about is not ok. All it takes is one drop of blood on that bird and the other birds will kill it immediately.

If you understand their social structure and behavior you will know that when they are pecking at that intruder it is because they are defending their territory, mates, and feed space, and they will most often defend those things with their life.

Also if these are bobwhites and you told him to just toss them all together and he listened you would be responsible for a whole flock of somebodies dead birds.

dc3085 said:

Please don't give advice that might lead to birds dying. 

That harmless picking at the intruder you are talking about is not ok. All it takes is one drop of blood on that bird and the other birds will kill it immediately. 

If you understand their social structure and behavior you will know that when they are pecking at that intruder it is because they are defending their territory, mates, and feed space, and they will most often defend those things with their life.  

Also if these are bobwhites and you told him to just toss them all together and he listened you would be responsible for a whole flock of somebodies dead birds. 

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Just to let you know, coturnix are not as vicious as you described, unless they lack food and water(!) I have quails long enough to comment on your warning.
My quails are kept on the ground, with one HUGE chicken feeder and one 3 gal waterer for al 45 quails that kept all together, the social structure you are mentioning is common sense reaction that need to be handled with common sense, the previous commenter suggested to put them together at night, i would in the evening, when they get ready for night.....worked for me,

Allavina said:

Just to let you know, coturnix are not as vicious as you described, unless they lack food and water(!) I have quails long enough to comment on your warning.
My quails are kept on the ground, with one HUGE chicken feeder and one 3 gal waterer for al 45 quails that kept all together, the social structure you are mentioning is common sense reaction that need to be handled with common sense, the previous commenter suggested to put them together at night, i would in the evening, when they get ready for night.....worked for me,

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I think I might possibly have raised enough coturnix to know what I'm talking about. Maybe.

I know when I once stupidly combined flocks my best rooster got his eyes pecked out, besides the scalping. If thats harmless pecking...
I thought that because they were all hatched out together I might get by with it.