Button quail couple fighting.

[wowlss]

It seems like my couple are having issues. In the last few weeks my female stopped laying eggs which is weird but I figured it was because I changed their cage and moved it from the kitchen into my room. I had also noticed both the male and female had some feathers ruffled on the back of their heads and maybe a few missing. Also, they used to sleep right next to each other but they don’t anymore.

The male is definitely a male and does the growl cry and has red vent feathers and the girl has been laying.

They’re in a large cage with lots of room and places to hide and on a diet Startena and with alfalfa given to them as well.

My sister did get two baby button quail and two baby chickens in the last couple of weeks. I don’t know if perhaps the female can hear them and it’s upsetting her?

Last, final note: although my female had been laying eggs daily for almost a month none were fertile.

 

[DK newbie]

It sounds like your pair has grown apart. I'm actually not sure I've ever had buttons that chose not to sleep together. It sounds very unusual.
They are not boinking in their cage at night? That could cause the ruffled feathers as well - and it could cause them to be unable to find each other afterwards, which would explain why they are not sleeping together..
If there is no boinking, I think I would separate the pair, at least for a while. If they call a lot for each other and pace along the edge of the cage in direction of each other, I might attempt to put them back together again. If that doesn't work, then perhaps - if your sister will agree to it once her chicks are grown - see if you can form two compatible pairs (perhaps same-sex pairs) by combining your birds with her birds.

 

[wowlss]

It sounds like your pair has grown apart. I'm actually not sure I've ever had buttons that chose not to sleep together. It sounds very unusual.
They are not boinking in their cage at night? That could cause the ruffled feathers as well - and it could cause them to be unable to find each other afterwards, which would explain why they are not sleeping together..
If there is no boinking, I think I would separate the pair, at least for a while. If they call a lot for each other and pace along the edge of the cage in direction of each other, I might attempt to put them back together again. If that doesn't work, then perhaps - if your sister will agree to it once her chicks are grown - see if you can form two compatible pairs (perhaps same-sex pairs) by combining your birds with her birds.

I’ve never seen them mate, which is weird because I’ve spent a lot of time around them, more than the coturnix I have. When I had male coturnix I saw it all the time even though I was around them less.

Well, I have them separated for now. I’m going to change the cage in a few days and try to introduce them on “neutral ground” and see how it goes. If not, I will see if I can make matching pairs with the other two. Hopefully something will work out!

 

[wowlss]

I reintroduced them slowly but the female attacked the male as soon as I put them together. She chased him and they both made a panicked sound that I’ve never heard before so I separated them again. They cry for each other during the day so I’m not sure what to do. Any help? Idk maybe this is too advanced?

 

[DK newbie]

If you put their cages right next to each other, so they can see each other and almost touch, you might be able to reduce the calling. If they really don't like each other, they might also try to attack each other through the cage bars though..
You could also wait a day or two and then try to put the female into the cage of the male. Seeing as she was the most aggressive, they might be more equal in his territory. I've had success with that method sometimes when introducing pairs that don't like each other right away, but it doesn't always work.