Bob white quail thread!!

[yellowblack]

Bob whites in socalifornia for sale anybody???

 

[Alex1010]

Bought 3 females & a male 2 days ago, & I introduced them to my only male. Everything was great. Till today. One of the females was picking on the other two. One of the victims has gotten pecked on the head and you can see her scalp and on her neck too. Does anybody know why they started this?

 

[firestomp]

They are territorial, to the point of hens beating up introduced males to THEIR home. It's part of it, give them a play box with dry dirt,sand, food grade dio. earth, some scratch, a chunk of sod, a bunch of dandelion tops toed at the base in a bundle. See if this helps. You may also try a screen divider so they can see, and hear each other for a week or two. Then try to put them back together. I don't know about the "neutral ground" idea for quail as used in dogs and cats. Not their territory so they aren't aggressive about that part with a new dog or cat. Of course there is always just the bully syndrome. haha

 

[firestomp]

HELP WANTED

I am trying the catfish food, starter food mix for my young quail so I am getting at a 50/50 ratio, and getting a 29% protein mix.(TSC will not get the 30% protein game bird feed any more. It was very expensive $30+ a bag, so it wasn't moving) I also add, crushed oyster shell (ninja ground it to dust) and chick grit. They also have a dusting box with sand and dirt, so they can get larger grit as needed.
Here's MY QUESTION, Does anyone have an idea or plans to break the food down to smaller pieces instead of powder? I am thinking of welding up 2 pipes with pins, placing them close together to BREAK the feed not powder it. Would be simple to make. Any ideas out there would be helpful. The quail are doing great on this mostly crushed mix. Seems like a bit coarser mix would be better. Maybe I am over thinking this to much.
The things you can buy to do this are so pricey and I am making small amounts 10 lbs. at a time to keep it fresh. lasts quite a while with the birds I have now.

 

[MeeMa Brown]

Anyone with BobWhite in Southern Illinois area?

 

[carolyn11]

i would love to get some snowflake eggs to hatch ,all that i have found are way to expensive for me.

 

[Tukamen]

Carolyn11 Where you live? My neighbor have, i can obtain some to you.

 

[carolyn11]

i live in west virginia
,find out for me if you don;t mind and let me know .thanks

 

[firestomp]

Read this as well as the quail foot problems before you build. It may save you from learning the hard way. Hope this helps all.

I have had quail for several years now, I even bought the special coated wire, breeder battery for quail. I also used galvanized wire (harp point down). With the coturnix quail BOTH WIRE TYPES CAUSED BLOODY FEET. I now use the heavy plastic rabbit rest pads, they have nice oval punch outs in them and lock down to the wire. I also use the ornamental grass cut in long strips and put in with them. they rest on it and seem very content, and it's easily changed. With the rabbit guard they are easily hosed off or brushed off. I agree with all on a dusting box. They seem to enjoy a water bathing pan as well. If you have the room add these items, or do an add on area to your pen. simple and makes for some healthy happy birds. I now have Bob whites as well. I add pine bows to it for a natural cover and they roost on it and hide in it. Just chage with fresh when needed. Good luck.

I just made a dusting area from a large cat litter bucket, cut the back side out, leaving a 4 inch lip on the bottom. Fill it with dry dirt, sand, and food grade DIO. Earth. They love it, as they throw it around, it goes on their back (what they want in the first place) and it stays in the bucket so you aren't refilling it all of the time. I am going to add a section to my Bob pen for this and an area for living clover (a dish pan size) it can be watered and kept alive. Give them another thing to peck and scratch in. Plus they love the live greens and grasses. Keeps them from pecking each other and adds another natural resting area. I am constantly coming up with idea to improve their caged lives. I raise them mostly for enjoyment, but will hatch out a bunch of coturnix for the smoker. Wrap em with a slice of bacon and smoke em. or babe in the oven. ENJOY.


Update on cat litter box duster. They WILL lay eggs in this, I am going to turn mine 90 deg., cut out a portal on the back (bottom) of bucket to see into and retrieve eggs. simple fix, but hadn't thought of them having eggs in it when I first put it in. Always learning something, haha

 

[DoubleB13]

Could you send a picture I'm thinking of getting bobwhites in three four weeks