Chinese Button Quail?

[AltonaAcres]

I have always wanted some super tiny birds to raise, and after seeing Chinese Button Quail at a poultry show, I knew that I needed some I would have a small flock (2-7) for fun, and would maybe occasionally hatch some of their eggs. I would not plan to show or eat them. I just had a few questions to help me get started.
- Has anyone raised these little guys? Was it a positive or negative experience?
- What food is best for them? How much protein do they need? Does it need to be crumbled?
- How much space do they need? Would a 4 x 4 tractor pen with a small coop attached work?
- Do they need heating or are they cold hardy?
- Has anyone ordered Chinese Button Quail off of Ebay? Which seller? Was it a good hatching rate?
- Are they flighty and skittish like most quail?
Thanks! Very excited

 

[Quailobsessed]

Here are some of my king (button) quails. These are all the different mutations I have.

This is my first king quail I got. Sadly he flew away. He's a silver mutation.

This is my wildtype pair.

These are my cinnamon and red breasted (darth vader) pair. The cinnamon's head was plucked when I got her but her feathers have grown back.

My silver and red breasted pair. The silver is from my first clutch of quails I bred.

Here is my hand raised golden pearl.

This is my cinnamon pearl. She is the sister of my golden pearl.

This is my newest hatch, my white winged pied. Her parents are the cinnamon and red breast, golden pearl and cinnamon pearl are her older sisters. Her mother has a history of rejecting chicks, she rejected golden pearl when she hatched and cinnamon pearl at two and a half weeks old. This is my cinnamon hen's first chick she raised successfully.

 

[BantyChooks]

I have always wanted some super tiny birds to raise, and after seeing Chinese Button Quail at a poultry show, I knew that I needed some I would have a small flock (2-7) for fun, and would maybe occasionally hatch some of their eggs. I would not plan to show or eat them. I just had a few questions to help me get started.
- Has anyone raised these little guys? Was it a positive or negative experience?
- What food is best for them? How much protein do they need? Does it need to be crumbled?
- How much space do they need? Would a 4 x 4 tractor pen with a small coop attached work?
- Do they need heating or are they cold hardy?
- Has anyone ordered Chinese Button Quail off of Ebay? Which seller? Was it a good hatching rate?
- Are they flighty and skittish like most quail?
Thanks! Very excited

I have about a half dozen right now. I really enjoy having them and I have no plans on selling out. I feed them gamebird crumble—I forget what the protein percentage is. Yes, it needs to be crumble; they can't eat pellets.

I give them about 1 square foot each & I keep them in pairs or trios. They shouldn't be kept in temps under 50*, or that's what I've been told. I believe it. They're super tiny. Honestly, they seem rather like indoor birds to me. They're more skittish than Coturnix quail and will flush upwards and hit their heads on the ceiling if startled. I do have one that's okay with being pet, though.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I have 12 of these tiny guys. They were my first quails I kept. They are some of my favourites to raise.

I keep them in pairs and have two cages of just females. I keep them in rabbit hutches and parrot breeding cages which I keep in my pheasant coop to act as a security system as I've had two fly away before. I find they go best in pairs. They go fine outside for me as I live in Australia where it's always hot and they are natives here.

I feed them game bird starter (28% protein) until they're 6-7 weeks old and then game bird finisher (22% protein). As chicks they need their food crushed up but my adult birds cope with pellets fine.

They are very flighty and will boink often (I've lost two to boinking). I have wadding on the ceilings of my cages for this. They don't like to be handled but they can get used to you. Some of mine take treats from my hand. I also have one who is hand raised and absolutely LOVES being held and cries when I put her back.

Hope this is helpful. I will try and post some pictures later.

 

[2 many chickens]

I have quite many, over 30. I keep some in my house and some in my mud room. They are not the best idea If you want a pet, more so they are just living decorations. They don't like anything, just each other. They are absolutely flighty and will not like to be petted or handle. I have only 2 buttons that will tolerate a quick pet from me, but that's it. They also must be in pairs because once mated, they will exile outcasts. 1 male 1 female and that's it. Can you imagine how many cages I have? Too many to count. I tried a trio once, and the two that were bonded turned on the other and almost ripped her brains out. Thankfully she is alright. Also they are loud when they call out to each other. For being such tiny birds they have a MIGHTY voice. They will also sometimes jump up and slam their heads on the cage lid. For no reason at all. But they are cute and even cuter when they are babies.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Anyone????

 

[Nabiki]

You might check the Button Quail chat thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/button-quail-chat.1336011/

 

[Nabiki]

I have been reading it, and everything the thread did not answer I asked on this thread.

You might try asking there. That is where the button quail experts hang out. I'm still learning coturnix quail.

 

[blackoaktammy]

I have always wanted some super tiny birds to raise, and after seeing Chinese Button Quail at a poultry show, I knew that I needed some I would have a small flock (2-7) for fun, and would maybe occasionally hatch some of their eggs. I would not plan to show or eat them. I just had a few questions to help me get started.
- Has anyone raised these little guys? Was it a positive or negative experience?
- What food is best for them? How much protein do they need? Does it need to be crumbled?
- How much space do they need? Would a 4 x 4 tractor pen with a small coop attached work?
- Do they need heating or are they cold hardy?
- Has anyone ordered Chinese Button Quail off of Ebay? Which seller? Was it a good hatching rate?
- Are they flighty and skittish like most quail?
Thanks! Very excited

Hi there! I have lots of buttons. I hatch a lot of birds since I am working on colors/mutations. There are lots of fun and very addicting.

I feed them gamebird starter until they start laying at 7-8 weeks old. Then I switch them to gamebird flight feed.

Allow one square foot for each bird. Unless you are in a warm climate, they will need to be in a heated building or inside the house. Mine live in my living room (...and dining room....and spare bedroom...) I use a variety of cages. Aquariums for chicks, adults in guinea pig cages and small aviaries. I also converted a bookcase into cages. Unlike other quail, you can have an all bachelor group. I have a few of up to 10 birds. You can also do a group of all hens. My highest hatch rate (averaging 90%) comes from groups of two males and three hens.

I have not ordered eggs from ebay. I know people that do, with varying success. I started with two genetic lines of adult birds, then ordered eggs from Creations N Critters when I needed new genes.

I have seen posts from a few people that have tame birds, but for the most part they are flighty. The especially like to fly straight up and boink their heads.

 

[blackoaktammy]

Thanks for your helpful replies! Who is Creations n Critters? Someone on this forum? Do you think they would do ok in an outdoor pen/coop with a heating pad when it got chilly? How much do they eat? I would love pics if anyone had them

I don't think Creations N Critters are a part of BYC, but I'll ask. You can find them on Facebook.

I personally would not keep them outside in weather under 50 degrees, regardless of heating lamps, etc. They are tropical birds.

I've never calculated how much they eat individually. I have around 100 buttons and I go through 50 lbs of feed every 5-6 weeks give or take. I honestly don't pay that much attention.

If you look in the thread Button Quail Chat, you will see lots of pictures. Nabiki posted the link above. If there is a particular color and mutation combination you would like to see, ask over there. I'm sure one of us will be able to post pictures.