Button Quail or Coturnix?

[Chickooster]

In the near future, I am planning to raise quail outside. The climate in my area is relatively warm year round, but my question is, which is better to own, button or coturnix? Which is easier to tame? Thank you

 

[sylviethecochin]

I think you want @Hope Hughes and @007Sean?

 

[AQuailNamedFrancis]

What are you going to use them for??

Coturnix are good for: meat, eggs, pets

Buttons are good mainly for: pets

I own both species currently and the Coturnix were way easier to tame. But, they are bigger and require more work to clean / feed. The Buttons don't lay big enough eggs to eat and they are to small for meat. They were harder to tame, but they were cuter and had some really pretty colors.

In the end I would say coturnix. They are still pretty with their woody brown colors and they are easy to tame.

 

[Hope Hughes]

I have not owned button( yet) but as for the Coturnix they do great outside and they all have different personalities. Some will come to you more then others will. With all animals and being tamed its how much interactions ypu have with them. Treats help alot with that.
As for temps mine live outside in flight pins with one side blocked from weather. They have places to hide and boxes to get into. We have had below freezing weather(in FL)and they did great. No heat substatues or anything. Just pine shavings in the places to hide and boxes. They live on the natural ground and it gets raked once or twice a week. They love dust bathing so they are happy on the dirt.
@007Sean can maybe help with the button or explanie how he keeps his Coturnix.
​

 

[JaeG]

Coturnix will put up with being handled (some seek you out to interact and enjoy being patted) and are easy to catch. Buttons don't like to be touched and are slippery and fast to catch, and they can fly very well to evade you! But they can be tame in the sense of not being scared if they are used to you. My male in the aviary is always waiting just inside the door and has to be nudged out of the way so I can get in! He pecks my shoes and I've managed to kick him more than once (not hard) because he's under foot so much!

 

[Hope Hughes]

Agree there are a hand full of my Coturnix that will wait for me by the door and i have move them (kicknudge) out of the way because they are excited to see me.. and then there are some that dont care either way and some that hide. They definitely have their own personalities.​

 

[Welshies]

I think you should start with Coturnix. Button are fun, but Coturnix are better for beginners. Quail are very different from other types of poultry like chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc. Coturnix make great pets but also great meat and egg providers.
What kind of setup do you have for them? How many are you planning to get? What will they be used for?

 

[Chickooster]

Thank you everyone! I am leaning towards the coturnix now.

 

[Hope Hughes]

Thank you everyone! I am leaning towards the coturnix now.

From my experience so far they are so sweet anf very fun to raise. And they are great duel purpose if that is up your ally!
I hope you enjoy them as much as we all do! ​