button quail question- Update

[Godsgrl]

My silver button quail lost his mate last night. I think she was egg-bound, but I didn't realize she was ill until it was too late. Since she passed away, my male has not quit calling for her. It's heartbreaking. I have another pen with what I am 99.99% sure are two hens. They are white, so it's harder to tell, but I've been consistently getting two eggs a day from them.

I tried to put Silver in with them, but it didn't go well, and I had to separate them. Now he's back to calling for his lost mate. What do I do? Thank you for all suggestions.

Cheri

 

[smallbluejellybean]

I had a whole lot a problems pairing when I first got my buttons.
If she was a silver you will most probably have to replace his mate with a silver. Also pick a young hen. The younger they are, the more they would want to please him (this is just from my experience with them). If possible get a young hen that has never had a male with her.
What happened to me is I went to as many breeder as possible so the original guys weren't innerbred.
I got 2 males and 2 females. Firstly there was no pairing going on at all. The girls hated each other and the guys and the guys hated everyone too.
Then a weird thing happened. I went out to buy another female to see if that would lesson the strain. When I was gone one of my kids (no one is still admitting to it). Let one of the males out and he flew away. Never to return.
So I brought home the new girl and placed her with them.
And WAM!!! it worked. The last male calmed down. The girls started to get along. Bliss!
So really what I am saying is get a couple of girls for him, the same colour and let him choose who he likes best.
I am going to do a similar thing with my new chicks. I am going to put at least 2 hens with a single roo.
No matter what people say I still think those males like a choice.
You will be able to see which one he favors and put the other hen either by herself or leave her with them. They both wont mind.
My chicks in the aviary have two mothers. Both made a nest together and layed their eggs together and sat on them in shifts.
Give it a shot, it wouldn't hurt.

 

[Godsgrl]

The hen was a regular brown coloring, sorry don't know the terminology. The only other hen I have of that coloring is part of a bonded pair. Hmmm....maybe he'll pick a white one to like? My white hens have never been with a roo before.

Thank you for your advice. Your hens sound so sweet taking care of the eggs/chicks together. I've seen chickens do that, but not quail.

 

[smallbluejellybean]

I would go brown again. That is what he is use too.

P.S. What about putting three hens in. Go buy a brown and then a white and then a silver and see what he prefers?

I think they are like real men. Prefer the blonde or the red head etc. And the looks do count for buttons - the have full colour vision.

 

[Godsgrl]

Okay, thanks. I'll have to see what I can find here and what I can do for him.

 

[Godsgrl]

Well since I have no where to buy more quail around here, I decided to try a different tactic with what I have. I put one white quail in with Silver, and we have peace and quiet! They both seem to be happy. Now to decide what to do with the other white hen. Thanks for the advice.

 

[the Pollo Loco]

Quote:
as long as it's not a fat quail...