Quail for garden patrol?

[GBov]

This spring I want to build a few very light weight cages from pvc nad chicken wire to grow my tomatoes in. Down here we are plagued by shield bugs and leaf leg bugs to the point of only getting one or two good toms per plant. Chickens wont touch them but my quail a few years ago LOVED them.

If I let my tomatoes get to the green fruit stage, how well do you think quail will do in them?

 

[mossypath]

I would have no clue but I would think there are easier ways to get rid of your bugs then putting your little guys on the ground to risk losing them while working the garden or having them eaten. If you want to use birds you might ask the Guinea Fowl group.

A really good wed site for garden pest is http://www.gardensalive.com/article_mcgrath.asp?ai=4&bhcd2=1237912181 I hope you have a good crop of tomatoes this year.

 

[GBov]

I had envisaged a walk in size cage, about 20 ft by 10ft with the wire going up and over the top as well as the sides with about ten extra male coturnix in it. Its more to keep the quail in and safe than to cage the toms. NOTHING organic seems to get rid of shield bugs and their family because they just fly in from elsewhere as soon as I get my yard free of them.

 

[TheRealTimShady]

the quails might work, but they might also eat the tomato lol

 

[JJMR794]

BIGGEST PROBLEM IS KEEPING THE PREDATORS OFF OF YOUR QUAIL... THEN THERE'S THE WHOLE PARASITE AND DISEASE THING FROM BEING ON THE GROUND... AND OF COURSE YOUR QUAIL WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO GET BUGS ON THE BOTTOM 6 INCHES OR SO OF THE PLANTS... AND THEY WILL GO AFTER YOUR TOMATOES

 

[mhwc56]

if you want Shield bug eaters...get a couple ducks. My Quail HATE the Stink bugs/Shield bugs but my ducks think they are the best....they also love potato bugs,slugs and crickets .AND they don't bother the tomato plants at all.

 

[GBov]

if you want Shield bug eaters...get a couple ducks. My Quail HATE the Stink bugs/Shield bugs but my ducks think they are the best....they also love potato bugs,slugs and crickets .AND they don't bother the tomato plants at all.

What kind of ducks? I have started the tomato cage quail grow out pen but if ducks wont bother the veggies but will eat the bugs I might give them a try too.

 

[WillsC]

The shield bugs .we call them stink bugs here in Florida is part of the reason I bought my ducks. I purchased 6 muscovy ducks a few weeks ago and they are awesome. Quiet, they don't quack at all and they are great bug eaters.....frogs too if they are too slow. They have not hurt the tomato or pepper plants at all. How well they will keep the population of bugs down is still an unknown. Just getting the first green tomatoes forming now.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Yes, I agree. Get a couple of ducks. Guineas would do the job also, but unless you tamed them down very, very well they would just freak out and fly away back to their coop. Can't control wild guineas, that is for sure.

~ Aspen

 

[GBov]

I might just do both! I can always use another cage so I will try with six quail in a 10' by 8' space and if they do the job great and if not, fried quail will be on the menue. And next time I go to a farm swap I will have a look at Muskovies. Mum told me that any ducks will be PETS PETS PETS and I am NOT to eat them lol. She gets attached to my stock and is a bit taken aback when they become dinner

and speaking of stock, three fryer rabbits are enjoying a bit of unplanned freedom in the back yard right now so a rabbit round up is next on my to do list!

Thanks for all your replies guys