Button quail will not shut up!

[flg8r]

Help, seriously, he's driving me nuts. We got a rescue button girl, sweet and adorable. We got another in a brooder full of coturnix hoping to be her mate. He brooded with the coturnix and we move him in with her and they get along fine.

The trouble is he won't shut up. Ever. He crows, he calls, he is up all night even if he is covered. 3am through to morning last night nonstop, like ever 2-3 seconds.

I've never seen him mate with her despite all the crowing. His brooder buddies are outside the window and they sometimes call back. I can't help but wonder if he's calling them? They are ten weeks now, separated at four weeks.

The buttons are in a wire cage, solid bottom with pine shavings, game bird food, bird seed, water, oyster shell and a box to hide in. But the little guy likes to hop on top of it and do all his crowing and calling. He doesn't hardly sleep, he isn't afraid of my dogs, he's a weird little guy but we love him. I just want him to stop!

 

[GrandmaBird]

move his enclosure so he cannot see or hear the other birds. He is just marking his territory by calling and trying to impress the female. Have you notice them "cuddling" or mating? Are you sure you have a male and female? If mine gets away from the female at night he calls to her but it only happens once in a great while. I keep them covered well and make sure they are huddled up before I cover them, sometimes the female will jump and run when I approach the cage but she trots right back to the male as soon as I start covering the cage up. Good luck and hope he calms down for you.

 

[flg8r]

Hm I'm not sure I can get him completely out of earshot of my others. I've tried two rooms along the back side of the house but I can move him one room farther front, maybe that will help. Makes sense, it seems to be the boys calling back and forth.

They do cuddle but I have not seen him mate with her, at least not like the coturnix do. It's definitely male and female because one is laying eggs and the other does the "wind" crow.

 

[GrandmaBird]

I know it can drive you nuts if they call all the time but be patience he will calm down and it should be soon, takes about a week to 10 days normally but if you keep messing with him it could continue longer. Let them relax for a while. You may have a very verbal male but only time will tell. I really think he is missing the others but will calm down for you.
keep us posted.
.

 

[buttonquailtx]

I had the same problem with a cage of bachelor buttons. I didn't mind the crowing,but my partner hated it. Finally, I gave in and started covering the cage at night when the lights go off. They only stopped crowing when I found a good thick fabric to block out all light.

 

[flg8r]

Oh they have been together for a while. I separated the button from the coturnix as a 3-4 week old baby when the size difference became extreme, so he's been doing this for almost two months. At first I just thought he was proud of his new crow, then it didn't end, lol. And I did try covering him, he still crowed all night.

Moving them does seem to have worked much better. He still crows a bit and starts at daylight if I don't cover him, but as long as it's not 3am, I'm okay with that! In general they both seem a bit calmer so maybe they were nervous being closer to the coturnix, or maybe that room is just more peaceful to them. They have afternoon light instead of morning now.

Thanks for the input everyone!