Coturnix Quail Basics- Information and Pictures Galore

[hosspak]

Wow that looks like a little village!!! you let the quail run around out with the chickens? or do you keep them in their hutches???

NO!!!! The chickens would tear them up. They are kept separate; separate food, water, and treats.

 

[Lobzi]

So Hosspack, I see the close proximity of the chickens and quail and even the chicks being raised along with the quail. Any problems, health-wise, with your quail in doing so? Very nice aviary set ups for all of your feathered family.

 

[cabinchicky]

Love the sharing of set ups. You all have no idea how great this is for someone thinking od getting started with them. I am planning the hutches and how to keep them apart is done as well.

 

[hosspak]

So Hosspack, I see the close proximity of the chickens and quail and even the chicks being raised along with the quail. Any problems, health-wise, with your quail in doing so? Very nice aviary set ups for all of your feathered family.

Since I started raising quail last November, we have hatched out over 400 quail. The only dead loss came from the week olds and with that the number is still under 20...

I have had no health issues from the quail or chickens since they have been kept either together or in close proximity. I have no reservations about ever doing more pens in the chicken coop (if I find more room)

I would recommend doing this to those who are thinking about the same kind of set-up, but research first, if only to educate yourself.

 

[kingmt]

This is where my biggest disagreement comes from. Not only do you practice bad husbandry but you encourage it & even recommend it.

I searched long & hard for this thread last night because this matter was discussed civilly in it. I was one of the people that thought that biosecurity was just a bunch of hype & so did the OP. We both did it with no problems at first. His wasn't as drastic as my lose but he did stand more to lose then I did.

You see most of us that are telling you that this is a bad idea aren't just repeating what we have read. We lived it, we have lost from it, & we have seen others that have lost from it. If both of us walk through a field & I get bit but you don't seeing me with a snake bit & you not having one would you still proclaim there isn't a snake in that field because you didn't get a snake bite yourself? I didn't know till a few years ago that people could be allergic to milk after all I've been drinking it all my life & everyone I know drinks it. It wasn't till my son got sick & died with me having to revive him that put my wife & me on a mission to find out what it was that was causing it.

The milk itself isn't what did it. It made him sick which looked like a cold & ear infection. The ear infection caused a febrile seizure that we didn't know he had ether. After all it wasn't the first ear infection he had. He had these all the time & never had a problem. This day everything aligned & he had a cardiac arrest. I was lucky enough that my wife was driving & I was able to do CPR. We live 30 minutes from the closest hospital but happened to already be on our way to town to take him to a doctor. Anyhow I'm getting side traced so I'll just post the link that I think is a good read & changed my mind even tho it came to late for me.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...t-put-quail-and-chickens-together-update-3/80

 

[Lobzi]

Obviously I agree with Hosspak on the issue of keeping chickens and quail together. I honestly believe that it is more of an inbreeding problem with our animals than the fact that they might be exposed to virus or infectious bacterial. I think I am learning that with my chickens. I have been inbreeding them for over five years and just recently made a serious effort to bring outside genetics into the flock to try to strengthen them. Time will tell if this is working. My only mating roo is from outside the genetic pool of my original flock of chickens. Also, my male quail and my female quail are from different genetic pools. Im hoping that their offspring will be better equipped to deal with outside forces that would otherwise take them down.

 

[kingmt]

As I've researched line breeding & agree with it I also agree that it is likely that it does reduce the immunity system. Also sheltering them as we do reduces immunity systems. However I'm not willing to put my birds at risk to start the mutation that I won't benefit from. It takes centuries for these mutations to take effect if they do. Sometimes they become extinct instead.

However you want to risk your own money & handle your own animals doesn't effect me until you decide to resale or pass on bad advice to those uneducated. I'm sure I do this as well altho I try to point out the difference between what I'm just repeating & what I've experienced myself. After all I don't want to take credit for disinformation.

Did you read the thread I linked? Of not I'd suggest it. It is worth reading & a nice civil thread.

Also I have a habit of generalising a group of people as "you" so forgive me when I do it & don't take anything personal. After all we don't know each other to get personal.

 

[jeepster]

A few pages back there was a question on if you could tell the different colors (pharaoh, golden, A&M) by the patterns on the egg shells.

At the time I had said that I did believe you could and posted a picture.

I WAS WRONG!

I have had my quail segregated by coloration for over a month now and I can see no difference in pattern or color on the eggs. I have gotten every color from almost a pure white with no spots to a heavily spotted deep brown color.

I hope this helps everyone.

 

[Lobzi]

A few pages back there was a question on if you could tell the different colors (pharaoh, golden, A&M) by the patterns on the egg shells.

At the time I had said that I did believe you could and posted a picture.

I WAS WRONG!

I have had my quail segregated by coloration for over a month now and I can see no difference in pattern or color on the eggs. I have gotten every color from almost a pure white with no spots to a heavily spotted deep brown color.

I hope this helps everyone.

Nothing certain but I got some A&M eggs and they are not heavy splotched like the pharaoh eggs. They are very lightly speckled. I have one golden and three pharaoh females. I get about four eggs each day with three having the heavy splotching and one more lightly speckled with an occasional splotch. Im assuming that is from the golden. Im testing my theory in this current hatch.

It may be possible for me to tell the difference with my clan. Ill report back when I know more. For sure the A&M eggs I got from another breeder are very distinctive and very different from my pharaoh females' eggs.

Oh and a comment regarding quail health and safety. I have never sold any of my birds or eggs. I have given away eggs, chicks and chickens but never for monetary gain. I plan the same with my quail. I keep my birds as pets and I would not feel comfortable asking for money when I share them with others.

 

[Lobzi]

Pharaoh Golden (I believe) Texas A&M

Size difference is one thing but mostly I noticed the difference in speckling (camera flash washes out the speckling a bit)