Anyone else put quail in their garden?

[-Kiwi-]

A couple months ago, we started noticing squash bugs in our enclosed garden bed. We put some six week old chicks in there, but they were too big and inexperienced so they started eating the veggies and trampling the plants. So I took out the chicks and the squash bugs stayed.
My quail had been living in the rear section of my pigeon loft, up until a raccoon came and broke into the cage, eating two quail. So the quail had been moved to a much smaller cage until we solved the raccoon problem.

Eventually I had the idea of putting the quail in the garden bed for bug control, and it seems it worked out! They weren't there full time at first, but after I realized they weren't eating the vegetables like I thought they would, they started living there 24/7. They never eat the tomatoes or squash unless they're already open. Plus, they lay eggs there! I love watching them scratch in the dirt among the leaves and browse through the fruit and vegetable leftovers we don't eat. I feel like it gives them a much better life since it's the closest to their natural habitat. I have pics of our little workers that I'll dig up in a bit. Does anyone else use quail in their garden?

 

[Tclloyd0812]

I've put quail in our greenhouse multiple times. It works as a great pen and also great bug control! They never messed with the veggies so I'm assuming it's a good method

 

[Nabiki]

Huh. In my experience, the quail eat the garden. I keep my quail on the retired garden beds starting when I retire the bed. The quail destroy all of the plants, eat all of the bugs they find, and fertilize the bed. A month or so before it's time to plant I move them off of the beds to another part of the yard.

 

[-Kiwi-]

They've eaten all the LEAVES of the bottoms of the tomato plants but they're so short you don't even notice. They'll probably stay there during the winter to turn the soil and fertilize it for next year.

 

[Nabiki]

They've eaten all the LEAVES of the bottoms of the tomato plants but they're so short you don't even notice. They'll probably stay there during the winter to turn the soil and fertilize it for next year.

Oh, no! Don't let them eat the tomato plants! They're a member of the nightshade family and are toxic to quail.

The fruit is okay, but the leaves aren't.

 

[preciouseureka]

I've been putting extra roo's in my greenhouse. They are the best bug killers around....overall its a win win but there was a bit of an incident with some Chinese cabbage...

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Most of mine have space on the ground. They love bugs. They also love plants, so those are usually a treat that gets devoured when offered.

I love compost, so this is a major win-win.

 

[-Kiwi-]

Oh, no! Don't let them eat the tomato plants! They're a member of the nightshade family and are toxic to quail.

The fruit is okay, but the leaves aren't.

All the bottoms of the tomato plants about six inches up are bare...

 

[Nabiki]

All the bottoms of the tomato plants about six inches up are bare...

They were probably a bit lethargic for a couple of days after eating them, but it sounds like they didn't get a lethal dose, thank goodness.

 

[-Kiwi-]

They were probably a bit lethargic for a couple of days after eating them, but it sounds like they didn't get a lethal dose, thank goodness.

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I remember one was puffy and sad looking for a few days but she recovered quickly and they just continued on eating tomato leaves.