Adding new birds

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EmilieD

EmilieD

Hatching
5 Years
Jun 3, 2014
8
0
7
I have 3 female coturnix quail that I have been keeping in a 2 foot by 3 foot rabbit hutch since April. Now that winter is coming I wonder if I should get some more birds to generate more body heat. Would this be useful? How would my 3 current females react to 2 new younger females? Is there anything I can do to encourage them all to get along?
 
I am new to quail, but have done some "new bird" additions and subtractions. I have read that you need to do it somewhere unfamiliar so they don't feel territorial about "their space". Maybe a big box or tote? When I swapped birds around, I just put new birds in existing cages and didn't do any special introductions. I did keep a close eye on them to make sure there wasn't any excessive aggression. My cages are about the same size as yours too.

I have one group that is 1 roo and 6 hens that just got combined from two smaller pens. One hen doesn't like the roo and she protests when he mates with the other females. He just turns his butt to her and puts his head down....then she leaves him alone.

Where do you keep your cage? is there anything in it, like a nesting box or dishpan for bathing? Are they on straw or wire floor?
 
I would imagine more birds would equal more body heat to share.

Make sure any new birds are approximately the same size as your current birds, they will try to kill them if they are smaller.

Introduce them in neutral territory, at least for a day or two, then you can put them back in the old hutch.
 
I have not seen any aggression from new additions, however, I have a few newly-mature roos in a brooder with about 45 2-week old chicks, and I did catch one trying to copulate with a chick this morning. Might have to do something if that continues. But, no evidence of other violence.
 

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