3 species together

[pokey]

i currently have bobwhites but i am planing on getting valleys and mountain quail. outside of breeding season, can they be housed together? and would interbreeding happen? i do not want that, but keeping them together seems like it would make a warmer winter.

 

[citalk2much]

I know for a fact that bob's and valley's will interbreed, I will say that keeping them together really is not a good plan as a rule I know others are going to chime in with all the reasons JJ will tell BAD MOJO and he is right

 

[pokey]

oh, ok i didn't know they would interbreed....sounds like we need two more pens

 

[wohneli]

If they are all quail aren't they all the same species?

 

[Akane]

Nope. They are quite different. Some aren't even the same genus. If we include some quail not mentioned they aren't even in the same family. Valley quail are Callipepla californica out of the genus Callipepla. Bob whites are Colinus virginianus, genus Colinus. Mountain quail are Oreortyx pictus, genus Oreortyx. Coturnix quail have many species and are in the family Phasianidae instead of Odontophoridae like the others. Coturnix is actually the genus name for about 10 species including button quail (Coturnix chinensis).

 

[citalk2much]

lol what Akane said cuz I would not even what to try and remember all the science names lol great info Akane!

 

[Prettiest Frog]

Quote:
It was problematic enough the time when I kept bobwhites where they could see other types of quail. Putting them together is just a recipe for disaster unless you've got an aviary bigger than my house.

 

[J3172]

The thing with adding quail together is timing and territory. I have gambel, valley, Tennessee red, and mexican speckled quail all in the same pen. So it can be done, but you need to add the quail at the right time. I find if I brood all my different quail breeds together except cortunix, and raise them together they will get along when they get older. But you shouldn't add new quail in to your pen with quail already in it, because the old quail will protect their territory. I find if you put the new quail in a pen/cage next to the other pen or in it the birds can see each other and after awhile I can add the new quail and all will be well as long as they have space. I haven't had bobwhite mix with other quail, but I don't mix the scaled, vally, or gambel during breeding season because they will mix. I'm not saying my ways are the best but it works for me. Good luck

 

[pokey]

i knew about the timing, i was just wondering about them mixing and squabling. just another good reason for more pens.