Button Quail!!!!

[Chickensandmore445]

Hello everyone, so I am planning on getting some button quail in the spring. I wanted to ask a few questions here we go!
1. I have been looking everywhere and I don't know what the right sized place to keep them in inches l x w x h I can't find a thing!

2. Can I keep two females with each other i don't want any males with them i heard that two females and a male causes war over who gets who!

If you have an answer to these questions let me know! Thank you

 

[DK newbie]

I guess there is no 'THE' right size. I've seen as little as 1 square foot recommended for a pair. There is an official care instruction issued by the government in Denmark where I live, and that says at least 39x39x19 inches. Some people say anything smaller than a greenhouse or a walk in aviary is too small.
I prefer to keep mine either in aviaries or in large cages that are 47x23x23 inches. That gives me room to place fake plants, dust baths, shelves to hide on (if one is aggressive the shelf seems to be the one place the other can relax) and under, tunnels and such, while still allowing them room to move around. The height of 23 inches is just enough for them to stretch their wings a little. I pad the top of the cage to prevent boinking injuries. The length of the cage means I can clean it without causing the birds to panic - they just go to the other end and stay there unless they become too curious about what I'm doing. When I move on to cleaning 'their' end, they go to my end.
My buttons go broody very often in such cages. If you don't wan't a male, I guess broodiness isn't something you are particularly aiming for, but I believe it means they thrive and feel safe in the cages.

Two females with each other shouldn't cause problems. It's true that they tend to get territorial if there is a male with them - I've had to give up on keeping trios several times, though I do have a trio in an aviary which coexists nicely. The same trio didn't work in a 59x23x23 cage, so it seems to be a space issue when they can't live together.
Make sure you introduce the females to whatever you intend to keep them in, at the same time. Even if they come from different places, it shouldn't take them more than a few hours to accept each other if you do it like that. If they insist on pecking/chasing each other, separate them by a single layer of wire until they stop attacking each other through the wire, then try again.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

that is true, so why don't you just get a male and a female??? the 2 hens will fight.

 

[DK newbie]

Have you ever kept 2 hens alone together ButtonquailGirl? I have on a couple of occations, and I have had no problems. It's when there is a roo with the two hens they don't get along.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Have you ever kept 2 hens alone together ButtonquailGirl? I have on a couple of occations, and I have had no problems. It's when there is a roo with the two hens they don't get along.

accually, I have! I raised 18 button quail. we had 2 hens in the same cage alone. and they started trying to kill eachother. mabey just 2 moody hens?

 

[Chickensandmore445]

accually, I have! I raised 18 button quail. we had 2 hens in the same cage alone. and they started trying to kill eachother. mabey just 2 moody hens?

My friend had two females, and a male they killed eachother fighting over the male male and female works but i dont want chicks female female works too i read.

 

[Chickensandmore445]

I guess there is no 'THE' right size. I've seen as little as 1 square foot recommended for a pair. There is an official care instruction issued by the government in Denmark where I live, and that says at least 39x39x19 inches. Some people say anything smaller than a greenhouse or a walk in aviary is too small.
I prefer to keep mine either in aviaries or in large cages that are 47x23x23 inches. That gives me room to place fake plants, dust baths, shelves to hide on (if one is aggressive the shelf seems to be the one place the other can relax) and under, tunnels and such, while still allowing them room to move around. The height of 23 inches is just enough for them to stretch their wings a little. I pad the top of the cage to prevent boinking injuries. The length of the cage means I can clean it without causing the birds to panic - they just go to the other end and stay there unless they become too curious about what I'm doing. When I move on to cleaning 'their' end, they go to my end.
My buttons go broody very often in such cages. If you don't wan't a male, I guess broodiness isn't something you are particularly aiming for, but I believe it means they thrive and feel safe in the cages.

Two females with each other shouldn't cause problems. It's true that they tend to get territorial if there is a male with them - I've had to give up on keeping trios several times, though I do have a trio in an aviary which coexists nicely. The same trio didn't work in a 59x23x23 cage, so it seems to be a space issue when they can't live together.
Make sure you introduce the females to whatever you intend to keep them in, at the same time. Even if they come from different places, it shouldn't take them more than a few hours to accept each other if you do it like that. If they insist on pecking/chasing each other, separate them by a single layer of wire until they stop attacking each other through the wire, then try again.

What did you put on the top of the cage?

 

[DK newbie]

In some cages I have suspended a layer of tulle a couple of inches below the top. In others I have used foam sheets attached to the top. The foam sheets are easier to work with but I use tulle if I want light and/or air to enter through the top.

 

[GrandmaBird]

I just looped fake vines inside the top of the cage and it worked fine. Try thinking if they can't see out of it they wont fly to it. as for keeping male and female and not wanting the chicks just remove the eggs and either eat them yourself or cook and fed them back to the birds or other pets. Both hens will lay eggs anyway so you will have to deal with removing them(don't forget extra calcium, oyster shell). I would get a pair as they are happier that way...with a partner wouldn't you be?

 

[Chickensandmore445]

I just looped fake vines inside the top of the cage and it worked fine. Try thinking if they can't see out of it they wont fly to it. as for keeping male and female and not wanting the chicks just remove the eggs and either eat them yourself or cook and fed them back to the birds or other pets. Both hens will lay eggs anyway so you will have to deal with removing them(don't forget extra calcium, oyster shell). I would get a pair as they are happier that way...with a partner wouldn't you be?

True! do you know of any places i can buy button quail online