Bobwhite quail question

[Mikedero]

Well yesterday I picked up 6 Bob White quail. right now they are all in one cage 30X36, But I will be building a new cage tonight for them. one male and 5 female.

So my question is how many females should I leave in a cage with the male? I heard 1-2 then I hear 3-5.

thanks

 

[TwoCrows]

Bobs are not kept in colonies. They mate for life with one bird, so one male to one female. If you have a lot of space, you might be able to keep adult breeding pairs together, although you may still see the fighting.

This 30x36 cage...is this in inches? You will only be able to keep one pair in this space. Bobs need at least 4 square feet per bird.

 

[Mikedero]

Yes in inches

But that seems like allot of space for such small birds.

I will make a few more cages tonight I am gonna use 1/2X1/2 hardware cloth for the bottom and 1//2X1 for the sides.

These are adult birds How do I know which female he is attached to or will any 2 for the breeding pair work together?

 

[TwoCrows]

If these are outdoor cages, do not use anything larger than 1/2 inch hardware cloth. 1 inch squares are too large and rats, mice, paws, snakes and other assorted varmints can enter and harm or kill your birds.

With all those females you have, you will not be able to figure out which one is paired with him. Generally the female picks the male. The best thing you can do is pick one out yourself for him. They will pair up.

As for the rest of the females, you can keep them together. You do not need to pair them off if you don't want or separate them from each other. They will do fine together, although you will need to build a cage large enough to house the 4 birds.

Come fall, after breeding season is over, you can mix the entire group back together, as along as they are kept within eye sight of each other during the summer and they recognize each other.

 

[UndergroundQuailRoad]

here is some more information about raising bobwhites: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/571829/raising-bobwhite-quail

My 2 cents is keeping them in a colony is fine, your ratio is a bit high. They definitely need more space otherwise fighting is probable. Bobs are not necessarily docile like traditional domesticated livestock, they still got some of the wild in them.