Coturnix Quail questions about housing and house mates

[mrbstephens]

I currently have been hatching and releasing Bobwhite quail for 3 years now. I have a large flight pen that I keep the adults in (have 12). I'm thinking of getting Coturnix quail and have read that most people keep them off the ground in cages with wire bottoms. My Bobwhites live in a predator proof pen where they can access the ground and have enough room to fly. I'm wondering if Coturnix wouldn't be happy in a similar situation rather than living in a tiny cage where they can't touch the ground. Wondering what would happen if I housed the Coturnix with the Bobwhites. I'm thinking I would have cross-breeding issues which is not what I'd want. Opinions please?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

We had our coturnix quail on the ground. They did fine.


Coturnix and bobwhites can reproduce, but it's uncommon just due to behavioral differences. Based on some googling, it seems that they might be infertile, or might not be.

 

[dc3085]

Coturnix do ok on dry soil but i'd worm them if you're planning to keep them on the ground. i wouldn't however keep them with bobs. They can hybridize, and they will breed if left in the same space long enough. The breeding process is pretty brutal, a lot worse than a normal quail mounting a hen.

The other thing to consider is that bobs are just meaner and tougher so any kind of squabbles and you're likely to have some really torn up coturnix on your hands.

 

[dpenning]

I currently have been hatching and releasing Bobwhite quail for 3 years now. I have a large flight pen that I keep the adults in (have 12). I'm thinking of getting Coturnix quail and have read that most people keep them off the ground in cages with wire bottoms. My Bobwhites live in a predator proof pen where they can access the ground and have enough room to fly. I'm wondering if Coturnix wouldn't be happy in a similar situation rather than living in a tiny cage where they can't touch the ground. Wondering what would happen if I housed the Coturnix with the Bobwhites. I'm thinking I would have cross-breeding issues which is not what I'd want. Opinions please?

I'm curious about your Bobwhite releases. Did you have an existing population? Do you after 3 years of releasing? This is something I was wanting to do but we only have 46 acres and my understanding is to establish a population we would need to control more land than that. We do back up to some state owned prairie land that is undeveloped. I'd love to hear more about what you are doing.

dawn