- Jun 28, 2009
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Hi, I'm thinking about hatching my own quail. I've done plenty of research but still have some questions. The species I have in mind are Bobwhite and Button Quail.
1) Flight
How well can these birds fly? Are they like standard birds which can fly for miles on end, or do they have a couple hundred feet limit?
2) Sound
Are males going to be as noisy and loud as chickens? I know Buttons are not nearly as loud but Bobwhites, can they get pretty annoying?
3) Home
If I let them out to wander around, are they going to try and make a run for the wilderness and never come back? I wouldn't be surprised if my Bobwhites wanted to get back into the wild (we all know they need to). Or are they like chickens, where they will be back home by night?
4) Temperature
Buttons are not very cold hardy, but how low CAN they go? And do they have a heat limit?
5) Releasing Bobwhites
I know this is very controversial, and I have been looking into whether where I live is suitable or not (plants, habitat, predators, etc.). I'm not sure I could even do this successfully-- a flight cage is not going to be an option and I can't see myself raising them without some sort of human contact (especially as chicks). But, I have heard of people releasing semi-tame bobwhites that can survive-- so this is more of an opinion question... Would you release if they were 'wild' enough?
6) Smell
Are the Buttons & their cage going to smell like ferrets, or.. well, just not as unpleasant? Probably half-month/monthly cage cleaning, with pine shaving bedding. Curious about this one.
7) Predators
Each of these 2 species have their own survival techniques, but would it be enough, if, for example, they were out without a human present in the yard and a hawk decided to attack? Or if a fox came out of nowhere? Another opinion question.
8) Breeding
For anyone with experience in breeding and selling the eggs on eBay; would you advise selling eggs on eBay? Maybe make my own website? Just, basically, how have your experiences with selling small amounts of fertile eggs on eBay been so far?
Thank you! Hopefully the answers can clarify for anyone else with similar questions.
1) Flight
How well can these birds fly? Are they like standard birds which can fly for miles on end, or do they have a couple hundred feet limit?
2) Sound
Are males going to be as noisy and loud as chickens? I know Buttons are not nearly as loud but Bobwhites, can they get pretty annoying?
3) Home
If I let them out to wander around, are they going to try and make a run for the wilderness and never come back? I wouldn't be surprised if my Bobwhites wanted to get back into the wild (we all know they need to). Or are they like chickens, where they will be back home by night?
4) Temperature
Buttons are not very cold hardy, but how low CAN they go? And do they have a heat limit?
5) Releasing Bobwhites
I know this is very controversial, and I have been looking into whether where I live is suitable or not (plants, habitat, predators, etc.). I'm not sure I could even do this successfully-- a flight cage is not going to be an option and I can't see myself raising them without some sort of human contact (especially as chicks). But, I have heard of people releasing semi-tame bobwhites that can survive-- so this is more of an opinion question... Would you release if they were 'wild' enough?
6) Smell
Are the Buttons & their cage going to smell like ferrets, or.. well, just not as unpleasant? Probably half-month/monthly cage cleaning, with pine shaving bedding. Curious about this one.
7) Predators
Each of these 2 species have their own survival techniques, but would it be enough, if, for example, they were out without a human present in the yard and a hawk decided to attack? Or if a fox came out of nowhere? Another opinion question.
8) Breeding
For anyone with experience in breeding and selling the eggs on eBay; would you advise selling eggs on eBay? Maybe make my own website? Just, basically, how have your experiences with selling small amounts of fertile eggs on eBay been so far?
Thank you! Hopefully the answers can clarify for anyone else with similar questions.