Quail Crimes and Quail Help

[Maka]

Hello!
I have a quail who seems to be causing issues. She has been starting to try and peck my other hens in the eyes. They are the same hens that she had flocked with for a while. The only thing that’s different is the age difference. I was told she was a jumbo coturnix (she is not) and that she is approx 12 weeks old (I can tell she is not by the length of her beak).

The others that are with her are also not jumbos but are younger based on beak size.


My question is this. How do I get her to stop trying to peck my other gals?

Also if anyone knows of any jumbo quail farms in the western states please let me know. I’m SO tired of vent sexing quail and would love to just have a flock that you can sex by feathers.

EDIT: They have plenty of resources (water, food,etc)

 

[le_bwah]

EDIT: They have plenty of resources (water, food,etc)

Great! What's their space/cage/cover situation? Fighting over resources can happen in any size cage, but they have a much better chance of sorting themselves out spatially if they have hiding places and cover that breaks line of sight.

 

[Nabiki]

Can you post a picture of her and her home?

I would start by separating her for a day and putting her back in. That sometimes calms a bully down.

Southwest Gamebirds has some good jumbo lines descended from James Marie lines. I have some of their birds and they are big, mellow birds.

 

[le_bwah]

They are actually in a large greenhouse! So they have well over 4 sqft per bird and I know the estimated is 1 for quail.

Space isn't the only factor. They will chase each other in circles if their nice big cage is empty. What hides do you provide? Because if there's plenty, we get closer to ruling out their environment as a factor in the bullying.

My aviary is right across from a streetlamp, too, but it's never seemed to agitate the birds. People also keep quail under extended artificial light that, and the extra brightness doesn't seem to bug them.

What else have you noticed about your flock?

 

[Maka]

Space isn't the only factor. They will chase each other in circles if their nice big cage is empty. What hides do you provide? Because if there's plenty, we get closer to ruling out their environment as a factor in the bullying.

My aviary is right across from a streetlamp, too, but it's never seemed to agitate the birds. People also keep quail under extended artificial light that, and the extra brightness doesn't seem to bug them.

What else have you noticed about your flock?

Yes they have vines that I have kept in the greenhouse for them to hide under. They have stumps and a huge barrel. They also have raised beds to hide behind. Etc.


I am at work and can post a little photo later of the environment.

 

[Nabiki]

HI! I know it's 2024, but I just read this today. Myshire farms has great hatching eggs. I get hatching eggs and they are shipped here to Montana. Quail are pretty high strung as it is, but I have gotten some from Southwest in the past and found the birds to end up a bit more high strung compared to Myshire's. I don't know if they aren't as careful with the breeding but am much happier with Myshire.

That's interesting, because I have had the opposite experience. Myshire birds aren't super flighty, but the ones I got from SW are incredibly calm. SW isn't selling hatching eggs anymore, though.

 

[MT Craftsteaders]

That's interesting, because I have had the opposite experience. Myshire birds aren't super flighty, but the ones I got from SW are incredibly calm. SW isn't selling hatching eggs anymore, though.

You know, maybe it's something totally unrelated such as weather or air pressure-do we really know everything about it? It's amazing to me. That's why I love what I do! Just when you think you have it figured out---!

 

[Kiki]

They are actually in a large greenhouse! So they have well over 4 sqft per bird and I know the estimated is 1 for quail.

But. Now that I think about it there is a streetlight that is bright right in the back yard a couple homes down.

Maybe the constant shining bugs them?

But my chickens are totally fine about it.

I highly doubt a neighbor's light is a problem.

 

[Nabiki]

You know, maybe it's something totally unrelated such as weather or air pressure-do we really know everything about it? It's amazing to me. That's why I love what I do! Just when you think you have it figured out---!

I never want to stop learning. As you said, it could be environmental, it could be that we chose different temperaments due to colour lines, etc.

 

[Maka]

Yeah I am just tired of vent sexing my quail and at this point I would like to get feather sexable quail moving forward. I feel like I have two that are flighty and the others are really sweet so I’m doing well there.