Button Quail Question

[Pigglebottoms]

Hi! I have been researching Button Quail with the intention of getting chicks in a few months. However, plans have changed and sometime over the next few days I'm supposed to be picking up three little ones that are supposedly a little over a year (picture attached). They will get a whole new environment with hides, plants, no other birds and a proper diet in our home.

My biggest question is this... I know they do best in a pair, but these 3 have been raised together since chicks. I'm wondering if having multiple hides will enable them to stay together? Or if I'm better off watching to see who the male is bonded with more, then removing the other one?

I'm hoping the plucking is stress related from their cage setup & not just a bullying issue. I'd love to keep them together if possible, but I'll separate if needed. If you have experience with them, what are your thoughts?

 

[Roomi the quail]

I think you would want to closely watch their hierarchy for a while. Are these three birds 2 females and 1 male? Then it might work out pretty well. 2 males and 1 female? Not so hopefule, but not completely without hope, either.

Supervise them at least some hours a day for a week or so, and even if they seem to be ok, be ready to quickly step in if situation becomes violent. You may end up setting wire patios between each bird in an aviary or all three birds in seperate cages. Else, you might be required to relocate a bird or to in the end, so be prepared.

As for plucking, I cannot be sure because there are hundreds of reasons for those bald spots(stress, mating, molting, poor diet, mites, diseases, etc). You should be ready to deal with those things(especially parasites and overmating issues) when they arrive.

 

[Green Bean Quail]

Hi! I have been researching Button Quail with the intention of getting chicks in a few months. However, plans have changed and sometime over the next few days I'm supposed to be picking up three little ones that are supposedly a little over a year (picture attached). They will get a whole new environment with hides, plants, no other birds and a proper diet in our home.

My biggest question is this... I know they do best in a pair, but these 3 have been raised together since chicks. I'm wondering if having multiple hides will enable them to stay together? Or if I'm better off watching to see who the male is bonded with more, then removing the other one?

I'm hoping the plucking is stress related from their cage setup & not just a bullying issue. I'd love to keep them together if possible, but I'll separate if needed. If you have experience with them, what are your thoughts?

I would pay attention to the hierarchy, but in my case I had 2m 1f that also were raised from birth from each other, plenty of room, hides....and it didn’t work out well at all. Female got way oversexed, is still in solitary to grow her feathers back and I had to order more birds eventually. I’d get more females as soon as you notice any signs of tension at all. It’ll save you and your birds stress. If it’s 2f 1m it may be better, i would watch it and see what happens.

 

[Pigglebottoms]

I would pay attention to the hierarchy, but in my case I had 2m 1f that also were raised from birth from each other, plenty of room, hides....and it didn’t work out well at all. Female got way oversexed, is still in solitary to grow her feathers back and I had to order more birds eventually. I’d get more females as soon as you notice any signs of tension at all. It’ll save you and your birds stress. If it’s 2f 1m it may be better, i would watch it and see what happens.

I think you would want to closely watch their hierarchy for a while. Are these three birds 2 females and 1 male? Then it might work out pretty well. 2 males and 1 female? Not so hopefule, but not completely without hope, either.

Supervise them at least some hours a day for a week or so, and even if they seem to be ok, be ready to quickly step in if situation becomes violent. You may end up setting wire patios between each bird in an aviary or all three birds in seperate cages. Else, you might be required to relocate a bird or to in the end, so be prepared.

As for plucking, I cannot be sure because there are hundreds of reasons for those bald spots(stress, mating, molting, poor diet, mites, diseases, etc). You should be ready to deal with those things(especially parasites and overmating issues) when they arrive.

Thank you. Unfortunately, when I asked if the 2 white were female, the owner responded saying they thought they were all female. Obviously the silver is a male, and I won't know with the white until I find someone familiar with gendering them. The owner is saying that "they are laying" so I know at least one is a female.

I plan to give them sand for dust bath. What else should I have on hand in case it's mites. I was researching that also but there seems to be mixed opinions.

 

[blackoaktammy]

Can you get a better picture of the silver? It doesn't look like a typical male bib. It may be a silver blue face. Sometimes blue face have white feathers on their neck, both hens and males.

If you have one male and two hens, there shouldn't be an issue keeping them together as long as they have adequate space. Rule of thumb is one square foot per bird. I have successfully kept trios and larger groups together with no problem.

Buttons are a lot of fun. Enjoy your new birds!

 

[Pigglebottoms]

Can you get a better picture of the silver? It doesn't look like a typical male bib. It may be a silver blue face. Sometimes blue face have white feathers on their neck, both hens and males.

If you have one male and two hens, there shouldn't be an issue keeping them together as long as they have adequate space. Rule of thumb is one square foot per bird. I have successfully kept trios and larger groups together with no problem.

Buttons are a lot of fun. Enjoy your new birds!

Thank you. Unfortunately, I don't have them here yet to get better pictures. I'm just trying to prepare for when I do get to pick them up. Our schedules have been opposite so hopefully I'll get them this weekend at the latest.

 

[Green Bean Quail]

Thank you. Unfortunately, when I asked if the 2 white were female, the owner responded saying they thought they were all female. Obviously the silver is a male, and I won't know with the white until I find someone familiar with gendering them. The owner is saying that "they are laying" so I know at least one is a female.

I plan to give them sand for dust bath. What else should I have on hand in case it's mites. I was researching that also but there seems to be mixed opinions.

One way you could check to see if you have 2 males is take one that you aren’t sure about gender out of the cage and isolate it for a day or so. That will probably get him frustrated about being unable to breed and he should start crowing very loudly. Also, i thought I had 2 females because mine weren’t feather sexable, but the second male and the female looked identical so I assumed they were both female. Oops! I learned my lesson

 

[Pigglebottoms]

One way you could check to see if you have 2 males is take one that you aren’t sure about gender out of the cage and isolate it for a day or so. That will probably get him frustrated about being unable to breed and he should start crowing very loudly. Also, i thought I had 2 females because mine weren’t feather sexable, but the second male and the female looked identical so I assumed they were both female. Oops! I learned my lesson

Lol It's funny you say this. I was considering separating to get their feathers growing back in, and said I'd probably find out really quickly who was what gender based on egg laying and crowing lol

 

[Green Bean Quail]

Lol It's funny you say this. I was considering separating to get their feathers growing back in, and said I'd probably find out really quickly who was what gender based on egg laying and crowing lol

Yeah! I figured out my second “female” was a male when I isolated her during cage cleaning in a little dog crate. He let me know pretty quick he wasn’t a girl!

 

[Pigglebottoms]

I just started setting up a 40 gal long aquarium. My plan is to eventually move them to an outdoor enclosure with a heated house for cool nights/days. The aquarium has the reptile screen lid on top (tank is 16" tall), should I hang vines and/or soft bird netting an inch or so from the top to avoid them hitting their heads when startled? Or is the screen lid ok?