Can you potty train Quail?

[Oob Child]

Probably not on purpose, but my four 9 day old celadon coturnix chicks have started pretty much only pooping on the paper towels that I put their water bowl on and spread their food out on after I had to move them two days in a row to clean their brooder. They hated being picked up so much, and still do, so they might have just figured out that I won't need to pick them up of they don't poop on everything in the brooder. I've been cleaning it thoroughly every other day cause of it, but I do have to change their food and water more often to keep everything clean

One of mine isn't scared of me at all but hasn't imprinted on me completely, another has imprinted on me completely and needs to always be able to see me or it chirps loudly, and another is scared of me but still cooperates when I try to handle it.

A photo of my three babies
Spot (the scared one) is in the back, in the front is baby George (imprinted one), and in my hand is Hercules (the tame one that likes pats).

 

[CliftonQuail]

I just accept the fact that they're "bird brains". ;-)

I've said many, many times that Dumb Ways to Die is the quail chick theme song.

Oh, no. You're not getting that ear worm in my head again.

 

[kabuky]

Hi, I was just wondering if you could potty train quail, if so, how would you do it? I heard you can potty train chicken, so why not quail? Does anyone have any experience with this?

I have a friend who had an indoor quail for 5 years that was extremely tame. He was part of their household and acted like a pet. He snuggled up with them, ate from their hands, and was considered part of their pack. "Woodstock" would jump onto their shoulders where he would stay as they walked about the house. I think he was a coturnix. He has videos of him snuggling up with them as they watched TV, snuggling up to their dog and was part of the family. I have no idea if he was potty trained.

 

[Oob Child]

I have a friend who had an indoor quail for 5 years that was extremely tame. He was part of their household and acted like a pet. He snuggled up with them, ate from their hands, and was considered part of their pack. "Woodstock" would jump onto their shoulders where he would stay as they walked about the house. I think he was a coturnix. He has videos of him snuggling up with them as they watched TV, snuggling up to their dog and was part of the family. I have no idea if he was potty trained.

He probably was if he wasn't wearing a nappy in the photos
How did they even raise the quail like that?

 

[kabuky]

He probably was if he wasn't wearing a nappy in the photos
How did they even raise the quail like that?

No nappy. He was a single chick hatched from an egg; none of the other eggs hatched. SO they hand fed him, kept him warm, etc. They have an amazing bunch of animals - dogs that snuggle chicks, etc.

 

[Nabiki]

He probably was if he wasn't wearing a nappy in the photos
How did they even raise the quail like that?

There are plenty of people who have a very tame bird and they just clean up after it. Keep a cloth or roll of paper towels nearby and clean it up as it poops. I wouldn't want to do that, but there are people who do.

 

[Oob Child]

No nappy. He was a single chick hatched from an egg; none of the other eggs hatched. SO they hand fed him, kept him warm, etc. They have an amazing bunch of animals - dogs that snuggle chicks, etc.

Did they just clean up after him?

 

[Abbystormndixi3]

Probably not on purpose, but my four 9 day old celadon coturnix chicks have started pretty much only pooping on the paper towels that I put their water bowl on and spread their food out on after I had to move them two days in a row to clean their brooder. They hated being picked up so much, and still do, so they might have just figured out that I won't need to pick them up of they don't poop on everything in the brooder. I've been cleaning it thoroughly every other day cause of it, but I do have to change their food and water more often to keep everything clean

We have to change our paper towels twice a day they poop so much! We have 20- 9 day old Georgia giants. They've even been pooping in their food and water!

 

[Oob Child]

We have to change our paper towels twice a day they poop so much! We have 20- 9 day old Georgia giants. They've even been pooping in their food and water!

If they aren't outside and are old enough you can replace their flooring with some wire and put a tray underneath so it just goes through. That might be considered cruel in chickens though, and they might just break the wire.

Sorry, I didn't read your reply completely before I started writing don't try to do this with chickens, especially big ones.

 

[Abbystormndixi3]

If they aren't outside and are old enough you can replace their flooring with some wire and put a tray underneath so it just goes through. That might be considered cruel in chickens though, and they might just break the wire.

Sorry, I didn't read your reply completely before I started writing don't try to do this with chickens, especially big ones.

How old do they have to be to go outside? If I calculated right they're 2 weeks old.. they have their feathers and they no longer looks like babies lol... we have them in a big utility tote w no lid... we have like mesh (from I think a roll for fixing screens in your windows ) over top bc theyre getting very jumpy and trying to fly already. We stopped using paper towels because they were just getting gross feet and poop every where. We replaced it with some type of pellets and it seems to be soo much better for them. My husband is thinking of the next time we have to change the bedding we are just going to put them outside. Which that's probably in a few days ... is this still too early? I read online they can't go outside til 8 weeks! That's a long time and I think the tote will be getting a little too crowded by then lol...