Can you introduce new Coturnix roo to existing flocks? And other questions from a beginner....

[ColonelSander]

We have been doing chickens for about a year now and stumbled on quail a few months ago. My current system is to hatch them from incubation, but them in a horse trough in the garage for a few days, then move them to one of the "big cages". I modeled my cages after some I read about elsewhere here: 10 ft long, 2 ft wide, and about 2 ft high with 1/4" mesh flooring on the main cage with a similar one to go underneath (though freestanding presently on 2 metal barrels in our chicken barn, eventually we want to stack them and tow them around the land) that is 10 ft long, 2 ft wide, about 15" high (lower) and 1/2" mesh flooring with a wall to divide it in half and of course access doors on each section. We have lost 4 quail in 2 days because this is the first use of the youngsters going straight to a big cage and their little feet are having trouble with the wider mesh so we will probably swap them out. If so, that would mean that our flock would be divided into the two sections of the new cage and the babes would be in the original cage with the smaller mesh. We currently have around 100 adults. To prevent inbreeding, I proposed to a friend who also has Coturnix that we swap some males. She raised the question as to whether new could be introduced to existing flocks. We've been adding to our adult pen all along with no issues if we let them get to the same size first...we started with 3 then went to 5 then got 30 babies that we added in when bigger and now try not to go over about 100 adults. This has worked so far, but would "foreign" roos cause problems?

Also, if we do go mobile with the cage on skids, I will give them shade but how cold can they stand? We are in central TX where it is over 100 today and can be around 10 in the winter.

We are just getting to a point of selling some. What prices do you charge? And for eggs? All ours are fertilized presently because we haven't separated due to growing the flock (and we can't sex them anyway unless they make their call--how do you know?).

One final question, I made a pvc pipe waterer but they seem to prefer to swim in it...is that OK???

Background note: We moved here from a suburb a few years ago and my wife had done 4H chickens so my kids got into it now that we can. They liked their show birds but we decided to get some layers. We got 25 Americaunas last year. We have loved their personalities! Their eggs have become recognized in the area due to their color and are requested over those from others. During the spring we added a few oddballs for the kids' enjoyment--a banty rooster, an australorp, a turken, 4 turkeys, and then a little later 4 more turkeys. Then this summer we ordered 25 (minimum order size from our source) mixed hens of black austral orp, cuckoo morans, production reds, gold sex links, black sex links, New Hampshires, Wellsummers, (at least 3 of each) and please excuse spelling off the top of my head. Our order of 25 more Americauna hen chicks came in a few weeks ago so we are at our max now. With the laying hens dying due to avian flu up north our stores are limiting eggs so we had to add birds to supply our buyers (friends, coworkers, and some local sales) and actually have some left for us! We keep them in a "barn" at night due to fox, coyote, snakes, and other predators, and let them free range in the day. Quite the menagerie growing! Any insight on the 7 breeds we got earlier this summer is welcomed...we just love the birds and they make us laugh especially when they "talk" to you. My 3 kids (10,10,8) love to pet them and play with them, setting up boards for "chicken olympics"...really taken to the birds so that's why so many different types.

 

[dc3085]

We have been doing chickens for about a year now and stumbled on quail a few months ago. My current system is to hatch them from incubation, but them in a horse trough in the garage for a few days, then move them to one of the "big cages". I modeled my cages after some I read about elsewhere here: 10 ft long, 2 ft wide, and about 2 ft high with 1/4" mesh flooring on the main cage with a similar one to go underneath (though freestanding presently on 2 metal barrels in our chicken barn, eventually we want to stack them and tow them around the land) that is 10 ft long, 2 ft wide, about 15" high (lower) and 1/2" mesh flooring with a wall to divide it in half and of course access doors on each section. We have lost 4 quail in 2 days because this is the first use of the youngsters going straight to a big cage and their little feet are having trouble with the wider mesh so we will probably swap them out. If so, that would mean that our flock would be divided into the two sections of the new cage and the babes would be in the original cage with the smaller mesh. We currently have around 100 adults. To prevent inbreeding, I proposed to a friend who also has Coturnix that we swap some males. She raised the question as to whether new could be introduced to existing flocks. We've been adding to our adult pen all along with no issues if we let them get to the same size first...we started with 3 then went to 5 then got 30 babies that we added in when bigger and now try not to go over about 100 adults. This has worked so far, but would "foreign" roos cause problems?

You'll eventually have problems in any multiple roo enclosure but adding in new roosters will definitely cause squabbles. It's hard to integrate new birds unless you are able to put them all in a new cage together. Quail are very territorial and you will have little success adding new roos to an existing cage. they will defend their territory with their lives and will typically kill any improperly integrated birds.

The best way is leave them in full sight of each other for two weeks then move all the birds to a new cage together to prevent territory squabbles. Even that isn't perfect so keep a close eye after you integrate.

How old are these young birds that they are having problems with 1/2" wire? I put my chicks over 1/2" on day 6-7 and have for a long time with no issues.

Also, if we do go mobile with the cage on skids, I will give them shade but how cold can they stand? We are in central TX where it is over 100 today and can be around 10 in the winter.

Coturnix mostly exist in the wild today in Northern China and Russia. There is really no cold we have in the 48 connected that they can't tolerate, as long as you block the wind with some plastic sheeting.

We are just getting to a point of selling some. What prices do you charge? And for eggs? All ours are fertilized presently because we haven't separated due to growing the flock (and we can't sex them anyway unless they make their call--how do you know?).

Price is entirely dependent on your market. I can sell day old chicks for $4-5 each but 2 hours from me they can't get $2.50 a piece for them.

One final question, I made a pvc pipe waterer but they seem to prefer to swim in it...is that OK???

Not really a good idea. Wet+feces+heat=disease incubator

Background note: We moved here from a suburb a few years ago and my wife had done 4H chickens so my kids got into it now that we can. They liked their show birds but we decided to get some layers. We got 25 Americaunas last year. We have loved their personalities! Their eggs have become recognized in the area due to their color and are requested over those from others. During the spring we added a few oddballs for the kids' enjoyment--a banty rooster, an australorp, a turken, 4 turkeys, and then a little later 4 more turkeys. Then this summer we ordered 25 (minimum order size from our source) mixed hens of black austral orp, cuckoo morans, production reds, gold sex links, black sex links, New Hampshires, Wellsummers, (at least 3 of each) and please excuse spelling off the top of my head. Our order of 25 more Americauna hen chicks came in a few weeks ago so we are at our max now. With the laying hens dying due to avian flu up north our stores are limiting eggs so we had to add birds to supply our buyers (friends, coworkers, and some local sales) and actually have some left for us! We keep them in a "barn" at night due to fox, coyote, snakes, and other predators, and let them free range in the day. Quite the menagerie growing! Any insight on the 7 breeds we got earlier this summer is welcomed...we just love the birds and they make us laugh especially when they "talk" to you. My 3 kids (10,10,8) love to pet them and play with them, setting up boards for "chicken olympics"...really taken to the birds so that's why so many different types.

Chickens and quail should be kept away from each other. Chickens can carry many diseases they are resistant to but are quite fatal to quail. You should also wash your hands between species.