Can You Bomb-Proof Quail?

[pterry97]

Hi all,

I work at an urban small animal farm and we are looking to introduce some new bird species, particularly game birds like pheasants and quail. We have a large diversity of animals already, and our work mostly coincides with educating the public, specifically children and those with special needs. As such, our animals get handled a lot and have to be tolerant of people. Our chickens and ducks are what we'd consider to be bomb-proof; we can pick them up, carry them around, and can allow children to feed and pet them supervised (the public can't pick up our animals however, only staff to ensure we don't have any accidental droppings or injuries).

We don't have experience with quail yet, but want to know if they can be tolerant in a similar manner. I feel getting some adults might be too risky at first, since we can't determine their tameness from their previous experiences, so I have incubated some eggs myself (we've gone for button quail). They'll be staying home with me until they are old enough to live outside at the farm, so I'm wondering just how far I can teach them in regards to tolerance. There are other animals in my house that they'll be seeing and hearing daily also, I would like to build up their tolerance from birth so that they know that noises and handling is the norm. But I know that quails are very easily spooked.

I want to know if anyone here has hand reared quail, and can let me know if there is such a way to have happy tolerant quails at the farm, or is it just a natural instinct that will keep them distant and frightful? Any input is appreciated.

 

[Sammi_0411]

Hey I have courtaix quail I think it just depends I handle all quail daily from hatch but u get ones that will tolerate u and be handled and one's that will do everything to get away from u... If done will have to be handled indoors as they fly vertically quite fast and u will lose them out doors I personally would say with the work that you do I can't see them being the ideal animals for this... Other people may think differently with better experiences I have only reared courtaix quail. Great work that u do would love to be involved in something like that sorry my opinion may not be what u want to hear but as said other people can say different
Sam xx

 

[shrimpsilkies]

I hear button quail stress easier than Cots, but never had them myself. They also don’t do too well in the cold if they’ll be outside year round.

The majority of my coturnix are super friendly since I spend hours with them when they were chicks, gave them lots of live insects from my hand, and now they don’t mind being picked up for a few seconds, checked out, and put back down, and they come right up to people for treats. One is friendly enough to sit in a hand for a long time, and another is so nervous she’ll hurt herself trying to get away from me, depends on the bird. All of them avoid being touched if they can though, especially when they are not laying, and any type of quail will fly away and not return if they get out of their pen.
A useful tip I heard was to use a brooder that opens from the side. I raised mine in a cardboard box and cut a door, and it makes them more approachable since they don’t like being watched from directly above.

 

[Ravenlover]

Hi all,

I work at an urban small animal farm and we are looking to introduce some new bird species, particularly game birds like pheasants and quail. We have a large diversity of animals already, and our work mostly coincides with educating the public, specifically children and those with special needs. As such, our animals get handled a lot and have to be tolerant of people. Our chickens and ducks are what we'd consider to be bomb-proof; we can pick them up, carry them around, and can allow children to feed and pet them supervised (the public can't pick up our animals however, only staff to ensure we don't have any accidental droppings or injuries).

We don't have experience with quail yet, but want to know if they can be tolerant in a similar manner. I feel getting some adults might be too risky at first, since we can't determine their tameness from their previous experiences, so I have incubated some eggs myself (we've gone for button quail). They'll be staying home with me until they are old enough to live outside at the farm, so I'm wondering just how far I can teach them in regards to tolerance. There are other animals in my house that they'll be seeing and hearing daily also, I would like to build up their tolerance from birth so that they know that noises and handling is the norm. But I know that quails are very easily spooked.

I want to know if anyone here has hand reared quail, and can let me know if there is such a way to have happy tolerant quails at the farm, or is it just a natural instinct that will keep them distant and frightful? Any input is appreciated.

Let me put it this way(hand tamed and hatched)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Quail are very primitive. They will not be as docile as ducks and chickens. They usually make better "living decoration" than "friendly cuddle friend"

 

[Ravenlover]

Quail are very primitive. They will not be as docile as ducks and chickens. They usually make better "living decoration" than "friendly cuddle friend"

Exactly , gotta put a lil taming into them, maybe try for just hen quail

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Exactly , gotta put a lil taming into them, maybe try for just hen quail

Hens are the nutty ones here. My males at least tolerate being looked at.

 

[Ravenlover]

Hens are the nutty ones here. My males at least tolerate being looked at.

Thats my only coturnix in pix hes male anubis cuz hes a pharaoh

 

[pterry97]

Let me put it this way(hand tamed and hatched)

Absolutely adorable. Can I ask; were they raised with other quail or were they a solo rearing?

 

[Ravenlover]

Absolutely adorable. Can I ask; were they raised with other quail or were they a solo rearing?

He was hatched and raised with his siblings and a single button quail Vladimir who lost her hatch mate, at 3 weeks we gave away his sister and two brothers blizzard troublemaker and zelda, and he stayed in a pen with Vladimir since they grew up together and we watched them closely but when he started getting gis urges and tried to mount vlad XD the button we had to separate them, he is basicly our dog he roams the house, just give them as much attention as u want them to be used to and separate the ones who cause the other ones to be scared , for your purposes of a petting / special teaching zoo thing