Bobwhite Update

[albinosilver]

I don't tame mine. I want them to be as wild as possible to help them survive when I release them. That's what I have them for.

Do you do anything special to prepare them for living in the wild?

 

[BaJa]

The last weeks I keep them in aviaries with really tall grass, tree trunks, etc. I also sprinkle natural seeds like millet, cracked corn, and milo through the aviary so they have to find it for themselves. It also has lots of bugs.

 

[albinosilver]

The last weeks I keep them in aviaries with really tall grass, tree trunks, etc. I also sprinkle natural seeds like millet, cracked corn, and milo through the aviary so they have to find it for themselves. It also has lots of bugs.

I just saw that you're in Ontario! Me too. Do we actually have wild bobwhites here? What's the policy on releasing them into the wild?

 

[007Sean]

Awesome! What colors do you have? Any whites? Any tuxedos? Or just all regular. All my breeder bobwhites are brown, but I ended up having a bunch of white. So far, today 17 hatched (all others have pips and are hatching) and one is white. Probably more whites coming this hatch.Last hatch I had 3 whites. Hatch before that also three whites.

Did your whites (A&M's) hatch from white parent birds or from regular Bobwhite phenotype birds? Kinda confusing the way you worded it!

 

[DK newbie]

Isn't A&M's a coturnix term? Doubt white bobwhites are called A&M's as well..

 

[007Sean]

Yes, they are. That's why their called A&M 's because that's where they got bred and developed.

The reason I asked Baja if the parent birds are white, is because the way I understood his post was, he said the parent birds were normal looking Bob's and he has some white chicks produced from them. So, if that's true, they have the recessive gene for white genotype.
Coturnix and Bob's are not suppose to be able to breed or reproduce....I don't know first hand but anything is possible....that's why I asked.

 

[BaJa]

Yes, they are. That's why their called A&M 's because that's where they got bred and developed.

The reason I asked Baja if the parent birds are white, is because the way I understood his post was, he said the parent birds were normal looking Bob's and he has some white chicks produced from them. So, if that's true, they have the recessive gene for white genotype.
Coturnix and Bob's are not suppose to be able to breed or reproduce....I don't know first hand but anything is possible....that's why I asked.

That's right. The parents are all regular bobwhites, however, some have a little white spot on their breast (1''x1"). Then I suddenly get four all-white chicks in the incubator!

 

[BaJa]

I just saw that you're in Ontario! Me too. Do we actually have wild bobwhites here? What's the policy on releasing them into the wild?

Apparently we do, but they're almost gone and I never seen one. There are probably only a couple left. Near my house there is perfect bobwhite habitat (long grass, shrubs, trees, a creek) and I just want to release a bunch there. It would be awesome to hear their call in the wild again. I didn't release any yet, the chicks are still too young. Also, this year I only have around a 100 chicks. You need a lot more to have at least some survive and raise young.
Barend

 

[albinosilver]

Apparently we do, but they're almost gone and I never seen one. There are probably only a couple left. Near my house there is perfect bobwhite habitat (long grass, shrubs, trees, a creek) and I just want to release a bunch there. It would be awesome to hear their call in the wild again. I didn't release any yet, the chicks are still too young. Also, this year I only have around a 100 chicks. You need a lot more to have at least some survive and raise young.
Barend

Have you tried wintering your birds outdoors? I feel like our winters might just be a bit too cold for them to survive in the wild.

 

[albinosilver]

That's right. The parents are all regular bobwhites, however, some have a little white spot on their breast (1''x1"). Then I suddenly get four all-white chicks in the incubator!

That’s really interesting! My only white came from the same parents as my tuxedos. So both parents were dark brown with white bellies.