Can You Keep Coturnix Quail With Chickens?

[Nabiki]

This is what I give new quail owners when they buy quail from me.

Coturnix basic care sheet​

For new chicks less than 2 weeks old:

Housing:

Chicks will need to be kept in a brooder until about 3 weeks of age. There should be a warm side and a cool side. Keep the temperature between 85-95 degrees in the warm side. The younger the chicks, the higher the temperature they need. If they huddle together, they are cold and the temperature needs to be raised. If they are laying stretched out or panting, they are hot and the temperature needs to be lowered.

Food:

Chicks need a feed with around 28% protein. The amount of protein can be lowered once they are over 8 weeks old. The feed needs to be fine enough for them to eat. They should always have fresh water.

For adult birds:

Housing:

Coturnix quail are quite hardy and can handle freezing temperatures as long as they are dry and have shelter (boxes or some type of small container works). The minimum amount of space is one square foot per bird, but more is better. Remember to subtract the space taken up by food and water from their living space. They are ground birds and are happiest on the ground. If you give them a wire bottom hutch, make sure they have boxes of dirt for baths and to rest their feet.

Food:

Quail thrive on high protein food of around 28%, but can go as low as 20% once they are fully grown. Adult hens will need calcium either offered on the side or part of their feed. If it is offered on the side, it must be ground small enough for them to eat easily. If it is part of their feed, it should be about 3.5% calcium.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

https://merriquail.com

https://facebook.com/QuailinPetaluma

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'm currently raising 25 coturnix quail with 7 australorpe & 5 cornish cross type chicks. The quail were young adults when I introduced the (chicken) chicks last week. The chicks are currently 2 to 3 weeks old. They're all about the same size and for the first couple of days the quail weren't having it, but now I find that they're huddling with the chicks and even seek out their company both day and night for a little snooze They're sharing 80 square feet of floor space (ground level) with loads of plastic & cardboard boxes and 5 gallon buckets to duck into or behind and they have access to their original baby-cages that I've added ramps for them to walk up for those times when they just don't wanna mess with the others. These baby-cages add another 15 square feet of living space and are well utilized daily.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

They would be for eggs

Mine like mealworms. More mealworms, more eggs. I think they're union.

 

[JaeG]

There are a number of diseases chickens can carry without showing symptoms and these are a risk to your quail. Coryza is probably the worst and if the quail survives then it becomes a carrier for life, passing it onto other quail. It's a risk you will have to weigh up for yourself. If your chickens were hatched and raised by you on your property then the risk is low, but if they were bought as chicks or older birds then there's a higher risk.

Buttons are not hardy quail where temperature is concerned and mine never bred when kept in an aviary with Coturnix. One particular Coturnix hen had to be removed because she would not tolerate the smaller quail. Individual quail have very individual personalities which can make integration with other species, and even members of their own species, difficult.

Buttons are also a lot better at flying (it's easy to lose them when you open the cage) and much more highly strung than the easy going Coturnix. They are a pretty bird for looking at who don't tolerate being touched whereas we constantly trip over our Coturnix in our aviary and our kids frequently pick them up. They are so laid back and always decide to dust bathe right where we want to walk.

Ours live in a very secure aviary with a solid base and solid panels along the sides with mouse proof wire higher up. In a ground pen we lost quail to rats who would try and pull the birds through half inch hardware cloth and at one point chewed through the thick wooden framing to gain access to them (that was after trying to chew through the hardware cloth - they managed to break a few tines too!). So you'll have to assess the risk of predators to them as well as everything likes to eat quail.

Overall they are a great bird to keep. They are quite messy though so make sure your cage is easy to clean.

 

[KingD]

What quail breed?

 

[ButtonHoarder]

What quail breed?

Coturnix.

 

[KingD]

I would say. As soon as it's cold enough to freeze water then they need a heat lamp

 

[ButtonHoarder]

The rabbit cage is not insulated but if I completely surrounded it with square bales, put a heat lamp in like you said, would that be enough? Considering the fact that it gets to 30 below celsius and occasionally colder.

 

[KingD]

The rabbit cage is not insulated but if I completely surrounded it with square bales, put a heat lamp in like you said, would that be enough? Considering the fact that it gets to 30 below celsius and occasionally colder.

Well. I'll say it like this. If it would be cold for you, then it would probably be cold for the Quails.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I would say rabbit hutches are too small for japanese quails, unless they're really large ones with runs.