Adding to established covey?

[quiltnchik]

I have four 8-week-old Coturnix (1 male/3 females) in one pen, and eleven 5-week-olds in another. It's getting near time to start separating the youngsters, i.e. pulling extra males and putting them in the bachelor pad, as well as adding more hens and another cock to the pen with the 8-week-olds.

Can I safely add more hens (5 more if I have them) and one more cock to the established covey? Will they settle down and get along or will the males kill each other? Will the hens get along?

How do I add more cocks to the bachelor pad? Will the older cocks fight and/or kill the younger ones, or will they just try to mate them like they are currently doing to each other?

 

[NancyDz]

When I move them around or add some I usually switch their pens... that way everyone is in a new pen so they dont notice new birds so much. In one of mine, that is split into two sections.. I just switch the birds from one section to the other , throw in a new one or two and have never had problems.


Good luck

 

[quiltnchik]

Unfortunately, that's not an option. I don't have any more pens and no way to build any new ones right now. Hopefully I can come up with something. I may have to move them all to a small bird cage for a few days and then back to the other pen...hmmm...

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
mate not fight atleast in my experience lol but that can cause deaths too as im sure you've read with dramatic scalpings that's why i add a bunch of new roos instead of just one or two wheni have a bachelor pad.