So Done with Button Quail

[coffeemama]

I have always thought button quail were so intriguing. So, I bought a pair a while ago and hatched two of their eggs. I had a woman contact me wanting some chicks, so I ordered some fertile eggs, and hatched 17 babies-she backed out on her order. The other day, one of them died, at three weeks old-no idea why.

My original pair is super flighty, and pace all day long no matter how nice or large their enclosure is.
Now, the two hens I originally hatched must have gotten spooked, because I went in today and they are a mess. They knocked the padding on the top of the cage down, and one had a huge scalp injury and blood coming out of her ears. The other is listless and has blood caked on her ears. I give up!

I'm just killing them left and right. I'll stick to chickens!
I put them on CL with no replies, and I'm not sure what to do with them now. I guess I'll try posting them in the FSOT here. Thanks for listening to me vent!

 

[ticks]

I am so sorry that quail aren't working out for you. Have you tried clipping their wings?

 

[dangerouschicken]

Oh wow, that sounds nightmarish. I can totally sympathize with you. Really sorry that happened last night, too. These were my same feelings after raising ducks. I just said, "Stick with chickens." Of course now I have turkeys and guineas and want peacocks and more turkeys and guineas, but who cares?

give it a few days on CL.

 

[coffeemama]

You always make me laugh Laurie

Yeah-I've never lost a chicken chick-even the frankenchicks all lived. I have just had a hassle with these quail from the get go. I have them all in the house, they are much smellier than other birds. I have yet to figure out a good cage set-up that works well for them. I hope I can find new homes for most of them-I suck at quail keeping apparently!

 

[coffeemama]

Quote:
I haven't yet-never had a problem with the jumping up. The two that are so injured are the least spooky too-must have been a rogue cat bothering them.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

You should get some Coturnix!

Mine are quite laid back.. I open the cage door, and the ones standing closest to the door actually fall out!! LOL

I had trouble with my first batch of quail when they were young.. Quail troubles are NOT fun!

-Kim

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I was just thinking the same thing when I read the title of your post! So sorry you're having no luck with them but I hope you can sell them on CL.

I have yet to keep any to experience what you are describing. I set 12 eggs, 6 hatched and I sold all 6 on CL. I have 43 eggs in the incubator now that my SIL sent me. Supposed to hatch today and...nothing. Not a single pip. The worst part is that 16 are "sold" and I was looking forward to keeping the rest. I'm not giving up yet but the box was damaged from the PO and 5 were broken. Guess I've been incubating scrambled eggs...

I think I'll try the coturnix...

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

I wanted buttons but so far I've decided to avoid them. Mrs. AK-Birdbrain told me they started off friendly and curious of her but as they matured they got real skittish. I've been hearing of them getting frightened and harming themselves trying to get away from whatever they precieve at the moment as a threat.

Like everyone else here who's been raising coturnix I have to agree that they are calm little buggers. I do have one skittish one but that is one out of 40! LOL! Kim one of my birds does that too! They sit there leaning against the door to the cage and when you open...

 

[Wolf-Kim]

LOL. Ace, mine fall out and I thought immediately "Oh no, I'm never going to catch it". But it sat right there between my feet, I guess trying to figure out how it landed on the ground. It never moved from that spot.

LOL. Even my Dorkings hit the ground running, but not those AM White Giant Coturnix..

-Kim

 

[coffeemama]

Well maybe I will try larger quail after we get a bigger place. Good to know they're not all like this. I just hate it when you are trying to take good care of something, read everything you can find on them, and still have issues.