Considering Quail - Predator Question

[AnnPann]

I'm considering raising a small # of quail on my 10 acre property. My main interest in doing so is for insect control in my garden (primarily squash bugs, squash vine borers, and cucumber beetles, of which my hens show zero interest in), ticks on the overall property, and also the eggs (but this is secondary to the garden help).

I currently have 7 chickens, will add 5 or 6 more in the spring. Given that I have foxes and coyotes that frequent my pasture, should I expect that adding quail will attract *more* predators likes foxes and coyotes, or will it not make much of a difference? Are quail more predator-savvy than chickens, or should I expect a high loss rate?

I do not let my chickens free range unsupervised due to a recent loss to a fox, and the frequency in which I see foxes hunting in our pasture this time of year. The hens have a very secure coop and covered run for when I can't let them free range/be out there with them.

I would setup the quail coop ~100ft from the chicken coop/run.

Seems like this would have already been answered, but having trouble finding anything. Can anyone point me to a thread on what I'd need to plan for in terms of predator protection for quail?

 

[sourland]

Quail are extremely vulnerable to predation by Cooper's and other smaller hawks.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If they aren't securely contained, you will lose them. They can't be free ranged like birds and they will flush or squeeze to get loose. I almost lost 4 of my 5 yesterday just opening the cage to feed them too long

 

[Nabiki]

Everything likes to eat quail. They need to be kept in a predator proof pen at all times. They won't come home like chickens do, so if you free range them, it's likely that you'll never see them again.

 

[AnnPann]

They need to be kept in a predator proof pen at all times. They won't come home like chickens do, so if you free range them, it's likely that you'll never see them again.

This seems kind of sad. Do you mean they will just leave or that predators will snatch them up? Is there no way to train/entice them to stay nearby?

Does anyone let them work the garden over in a chicken tractor?

 

[Nabiki]

This seems kind of sad. Do you mean they will just leave or that predators will snatch them up? Is there no way to train/entice them to stay nearby?

Does anyone let them work the garden over in a chicken tractor?

They will leave and the predators will eat them.

I keep mine in pens that can be moved, and I rotate them over my garden beds. It goes like:. Plant, harvest, move quail on them, repeat. The quail will eat the plant as well as the bugs, so that's why they get the beds after harvest. Don't let them have tomato plants, though. Those are toxic.

 

[AnnPann]

They will leave and the predators will eat them.

I keep mine in pens that can be moved, and I rotate them over my garden beds. It goes like:. Plant, harvest, move quail on them, repeat. The quail will eat the plant as well as the bugs, so that's why they get the beds after harvest. Don't let them have tomato plants, though. Those are toxic.

This is helpful, thank you! Are these pens that they sleep in at night? As in, predator proof? Or do you move them into the pens during the day and they have a separate predator-proof pen for sleeping?

Do you mind me asking your pen size and # of quail that you find it takes to work over your garden beds (and how big your beds are)? My garden beds that are 4' x 25', and I have a bunch of beds. I almost wonder if it would be easier to setup some kind of reposition-able bird netting over a quarter of the garden at a time...

Do you find they eat squash/zucchini or cucumber plants? They are my biggest offenders. I don't even bother with pumpkins because the squash bugs are so bad.

Thanks for info on tomatoes. I don't have many problems with my them, so probably wouldn't be worth letting them have access to those while growing.

 

[Nabiki]

I have Summerhawk Ranch 4'x5' pens. They live in them full-time. I keep about 12 quail per pen, and usually leave them in place for a month or three (depends on how lazy I am).

Right now I don't have a lot of garden because I just moved. My old place had three 8'x6' beds. My new place will have a lot more, but it will be a while.

They love squash and cucumber. They will happily devour the fruit and the plants.

 

[AnnPann]

They love squash and cucumber. They will happily devour the fruit and the plants.

Wonder if I can work with this by planting some more attractive bait plants away from the ones I want to eat, and let the quail do their thing on those. I had planned on trying this method and just spraying the bait plant, but I REALLY don't want to spray anything.

Thanks for the sizing/dimensions! I have a HWC-covered Omlet run that I won't be using soon, and I think I can repurpose it for quail, as it's movable -wheels and handles and all.

 

[Nabiki]

Wonder if I can work with this by planting some more attractive bait plants away from the ones I want to eat, and let the quail do their thing on those. I had planned on trying this method and just spraying the bait plant, but I REALLY don't want to spray anything.

Thanks for the sizing/dimensions! I have a HWC-covered Omlet run that I won't be using soon, and I think I can repurpose it for quail, as it's movable -wheels and handles and all.

You might try sacrificing a squash or cucumber to them. Put a cut on it and they'll go for that first.