Brooder Question- Bobs & Coturnix?

[jetto]

Hi, Newbie here. We've been keeping quail for awhile for dog training but we are expanding into the whole incubating/brooding territory to hopefully get some eggs.

We have someone who will be incubabating/hatching 50 bobs for us. Just this weekend a friend gave us an old incubator so I ordered 25 coturnix eggs. We've done a good bit of research on the process so hopefully are prepared.

My question is since they will hatch within a few days of each other (hopefully!) can we put both species in the brooder at the same time? I know as adults we need to separate- we generally do when we have both types. But I wasn't sure about in the brooder? Should we have two brooders ready just in case?

Kristi

 

[millerwb]

I don't know a lot but I have brooded both varieties. Bobs develop much slower (16+ weeks to maturity) as opposed to Coturnix (maturity in 8 weeks). My concern would be that the Bobs would be picked on after the first week and they would not get their fair share of the food.

Brian

 

[tbone]

i threw a couple day old pheasant in with three week old coturnix one time and those pheasant beat the tar out of those quail i dont think you have to worry about the coturnix i think i would be more concerned about the bobs......

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
i second this. Heard bobs are pretty aggressive.

 

[jetto]

Ok thanks everyone! We'll set up a second brooder.

Our current group of quail has been with us long enough that they run to the side of the pen when we go in the barn hoping we are carrying lettuce or other goodies for them! They even kind of "coo" a little and will eat out of your hand. Kristi

 

[Mrs MIA]

I just had a brooder full of bobs and coturnix, and had to separate them... the bobwhites were pecking the beaks of the coturnix and killing them. I have successfully brooded the two breeds together before, but this time the bobs turned on the coturnix at only a couple of days old. You can try brooding them together, under a watchful eye, but I would highly recommend separate brooders if you have the ability to do so.

 

[jetto]

Thank you. Will definitely do two brooders. Don't need any fighting our first time trying this! Kristi

 

[kycrawler]

i have some that have been together for 2 weeks now no fighting as of yet

 

[monarc23]

just goes to show sometimes things work that you think won't

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have some together right now, but there are so many other types of birds in there, they probably don't notice! Plus the coturnix are from 1-3 weeks older than the bobs, so that probably helps. I'll be sure to keep an eye on them though, don't want those bobs to hurt my red or fawn ginger coturnixs!!! Or my chukars or purple guineas that are sharing the brooder