Can baby quail live with baby chickens?

[Alecia Davidshofer]

Will quail and baby chicks together make them sick?

Thanks

I got some about to hatch

 

[sylviethecochin]

They can, if you don't live in a blackhead area, or don't get your chicks from an area with blackhead. (since you're hatching, you should be fine.)

You should also keep everything very clean because chickens often carry diseases that can transfer through their poop, and quail chicks are more susceptible to those diseases than chicks are.

Also, if there is a large number of chicks, they should be kept separate because a lot of bigger chicks will squish a lot of smaller chicks when they pile up in the middle of the pen to sleep. Most people begin dividing up broods at forty chicks (and that's chickens, all the same size. The numbers probably change when half of your chicks are a quarter the size of the others.)

And you're going to have to compromise on feed because quail require a higher protein percentage as starter.

And I like this site, if you haven't already found it:
Coturnix quail site.

 

[007Sean]

Sylviethecochin, makes some very good points. The general consenses is, gamebirds should not be raised with other poultry. This is mainly grown and juvenile birds but it's just better to keep them seperated from the begining. Although I've never seen it in quail, I suppose it could though, is blackhead. It is usually more prevalent in turkeys and pheasants. I'd worry more about Infectious Bronchitis and Intestinal Enteritus. Biosecurity is the most important aspect of rearing gamebirds. The less chance of cross contamination, the better.