Can I bring my month old coturnix quail chicks outside to "play"?

[MelissaRose]

Hello all!
I have four, month- five week old coturnix quail chicks and I am wondering if I can bring them outside to play. I usually bring my chicken chicks outside when they're about two weeks old and I sit with them and let them scratch in the grass and find bugs etc.
Can I do the same thing with my quail?
Right now they are living inside in a brooder. They are going to move outside sometime soon when we finish their hutch. I thought it might be good for them to get used to outside and I bet they would enjoy hunting for bugs. If I don't have a cage and I just bring them out and sit next to them like I do with my chicks, will they just run/fly away?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Evelyn Walker]

That's not a very good idea-you'll probably never see them again. I don't suggest letting them out unless you are positive you can catch them again afterwards (a net is helpful). Coturnix sure can fly!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Personally I would not allow my quail to be outdoors without a cage, they are FAST little buggers! Unless you’ve really tamed these birds, it’s highly likely you won’t be able to catch them and they will fly or run off to be gotten by predators.

 

[MelissaRose]

That's not a very good idea-you'll probably never see them again. I don't suggest letting them out unless you are positive you can catch them again afterwards (a net is helpful). Coturnix sure can fly!

Ok, thanks for the advice. I'd rather not lose them because they are pets and will be egg layers.

Personally I would not allow my quail to be outdoors without a cage, they are FAST little buggers! Unless you’ve really tamed these birds, it’s highly likely you won’t be able to catch them and they will fly or run off to be gotten by predators.

No, I have not tamed them very much and they run away from me when they escape in the house so....I guess I better not bring them outside.

 

[MelissaRose]

Would it be ok to give them a pan with dirt in it? That way they could stay in their brooder and enjoy some dirt?

 

[HuffleClaw]

Would it be ok to give them a pan with dirt in it? That way they could stay in their brooder and enjoy some dirt?

That’s perfectly fine. I’m sure they’d love that

 

[MelissaRose]

That’s perfectly fine. I’m sure they’d love that

Ok, that's what I'll do then! Thank you for the advice. I will let everyone know how they react to their dirt. They'll probably go crazy.

 

[007Sean]

As everyone has stated, not a good idea to put them outside without a cage. Putting a box of dirt in their broader will make them happy.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Quail are probably the absolute lowest critter on the food chain, I mean, everything loves to eat quail!

 

[Fishkeeper]

Quail should ALWAYS be contained when outside, or you'll lose them. You could put them in a big dog cage and set that outside, but they need supervision in anything not predator-proofed.