Couple Qs about new flock

[AQuailTale]

I'm building a large aviary for my new flock of coturnix quail. I'm doing a brooding experiment, having my quail hatched by another farmer, and taking them "under my wing". When should I have the newbies move into the aviary? I'm doing a survival of the fittest type beginning, with a hands off approach in their maturity so they can live the most natural life possible. Am going to see if I can get a consistent line of brooding coturnix quail that just do their thing. Ill still collect eggs but the experiment is what Im most invested in. Id like to see them raising their own babies and teaching them natural quail skills.

My 2 questions:

At what age should I get my quail from her in order for them to not be super used to human interaction, without them dying alone in the aviary?

And do coturnix quail do other color eggs besides brown speckled and blue? Would like to get some variety. Am going to do some cross breeding of the different sub lines of this breed.

 

[Peristeria]

I'm building a large aviary for my new flock of coturnix quail. I'm doing a brooding experiment, having my quail hatched by another farmer, and taking them "under my wing". When should I have the newbies move into the aviary? I'm doing a survival of the fittest type beginning, with a hands off approach in their maturity so they can live the most natural life possible. Am going to see if I can get a consistent line of brooding coturnix quail that just do their thing. Ill still collect eggs but the experiment is what Im most invested in. Id like to see them raising their own babies and teaching them natural quail skills.

My 2 questions:

At what age should I get my quail from her in order for them to not be super used to human interaction, without them dying alone in the aviary?

And do coturnix quail do other color eggs besides brown speckled and blue? Would like to get some variety. Am going to do some cross breeding of the different sub lines of this breed.

Very neat idea! How cold is it where you are? Is it possible to just put a heat lamp out there and get them at an age where they can mostly take care of themselves?

 

[Nabiki]

They should be fine outside at around 6 weeks. Having them used to humans isn't a bad thing, because they are likelier to be less stressed by your presence. Stressed birds don't lay well and are unlikely to go broody.

I have heard people claim that there are other colour eggs, but I have never seen any other than blue or speckled.

 

[AQuailTale]

Very neat idea! How cold is it where you are? Is it possible to just put a heat lamp out there and get them at an age where they can mostly take care of themselves?

It's not too cold but I could do a heat lamp(Ill judge that when it's finished. I'll sit in there and read for a while). So you think 4-6 weeks or wait til they're already laying?

 

[AQuailTale]

They should be fine outside at around 6 weeks. Having them used to humans isn't a bad thing, because they are likelier to be less stressed by your presence. Stressed birds don't lay well and are unlikely to go broody.

I have heard people claim that there are other colour eggs, but I have never seen any other than blue or speckled.

Thank you for the response to the egg question-I thought I just wasn't finding them.

And I mean I just want them to live a peaceful and natural existence. They'll see me and I'll be the bringer of food, but I want them living their most natural life possible. For the brooding but mostly because that's the best quality of life, in my opinion, for a wild bird turned domesticated. Kind of paying respect to where they come from.

 

[Peristeria]

It's not too cold but I could do a heat lamp(Ill judge that when it's finished. I'll sit in there and read for a while). So you think 4-6 weeks or wait til they're already laying?

I was just thinking that maybe you could brood them in their enclosure. I have never ground raised before but if you set up an auto waterer and feeder they wouldnt see you as much. I do agree with nabiki though. If you are going to collect eggs they will be scared. I've heard of people who have had them as pets go broody and one of my girls (shes a pet too) went broody for a few days.

 

[AQuailTale]

I was just thinking that maybe you could brood them in their enclosure. I have never ground raised before but if you set up an auto waterer and feeder they wouldnt see you as much. I do agree with nabiki though. If you are going to collect eggs they will be scared. I've heard of people who have had them as pets go broody and one of my girls (shes a pet too) went broody for a few days.

Do you think me bringing the food will be enough of a relationship where they wouldnt be stressed out by my presence when collecting?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you're worried about them being petlike, don't worry. They seem to be more reserved than larger poultry. I have one I can hold without too much panic, but I still have to catch him first

 

[HillGuy]

I happen to have these egg pictures

 

[AQuailTale]

If you're worried about them being petlike, don't worry. They seem to be more reserved than larger poultry. I have one I can hold without too much panic, but I still have to catch him first

No, more like I want to see if they'll all go broody and I can get them a few generations into brooding. I feel the best chance at the highest success rate is the most natural, wild type environment possible. With me bringing food so their short interactions with me are as the food bringer