Crazy About Quail

[Verna Y]

I too started during the first quarantine. for various reasons I was searching for ways to be more self-sufficient even though I live in an apartment. I watched a video about quails and the idea stuck in me. A few days later while walking I saw quails in a cage out side a shop in the most unexpected place! he only had babies still in the brooder. He gave me 3 in a cardboard box. I had a very very old small bird cage. I never had any birds and wouldn't dare touching them. I thought they would break!!. I was staring at them and couldn't stop thinking they look like dinosaurs . After a few weeks 2 of them lost their spots and started chasing my only female. You can't imagine all my troubles until I finally made a big DIY cage at the balcony. I borrowed an incubator ( that's another story)View attachment 2431255 first day at homeView attachment 2431256 My first couple

You raise quail in your apartment? So do I!!! I gave up my bedroom, and moved my bed to the front room. I have quite a few quail. Mine are all coturnix quail. I get a great kick out of hearing the Roos' crow. And how sometimes it sounds like "spoiled brat, Get back here. . . . " Right now, I have Jumbo Wilds, and Jumbo Whitewing Pharaohs.

That picture is of them hatching.

 

[Quail 66]

You raise quail in your apartment? So do I!!! I gave up my bedroom, and moved my bed to the front room. I have quite a few quail. Mine are all coturnix quail. I get a great kick out of hearing the Roos' crow. And how sometimes it sounds like "spoiled brat, Get back here. . . . " Right now, I have Jumbo Wilds, and Jumbo Whitewing Pharaohs.View attachment 2434295

That picture is of them hatching.

How many do you have? At first I kept them on the kitchen table. My kitchen is big enough. It would be fine but I wanted them to have regular sand baths so my kitchen went dusty . Then I borrowed an incubator and I had too many. As I wrote, I send away the wild ones so I have always less than 10. My male was disturbing a bit the neighbors every morning. I was planning on keeping them a secret but.... I got confused. From pictures here I think I have Italian and pharaoh? And one white I was told it must be Texas A&M. I wish I could have them all!! They look like candy to me. It's difficult here to find other types. I adore the tuxedo, I adore them all . It's winter now and they don't lay eggs ( except one stubborn). I will hatch some more later on.
Nobody knows anything about quails here. I must have seen Hundreds of YouTube videos. Put some pictures of the whitewing , They seem beautiful. Mine are very plain. I love the sound my first in order female makes if another hen dares to take bath first. Sounds like "how dare you!! Who do you think you are!"

 

[Quail 66]

How many do you have? At first I kept them on the kitchen table. My kitchen is big enough. It would be fine but I wanted them to have regular sand baths so my kitchen went dusty . Then I borrowed an incubator and I had too many. As I wrote, I send away the wild ones so I have always less than 10. My male was disturbing a bit the neighbors every morning. I was planning on keeping them a secret but.... I got confused. From pictures here I think I have Italian and pharaoh? And one white I was told it must be Texas A&M. I wish I could have them all!! They look like candy to me. It's difficult here to find other types. I adore the tuxedo, I adore them all . It's winter now and they don't lay eggs ( except one stubborn). I will hatch some more later on.
Nobody knows anything about quails here. I must have seen Hundreds of YouTube videos. Put some pictures of the whitewing , They seem beautiful. Mine are very plain. I love the sound my first in order female makes if another hen dares to take bath first. Sounds like "how dare you!! Who do you think you are!"

 

[FloorCandy]

You raise quail in your apartment? So do I!!! I gave up my bedroom, and moved my bed to the front room. I have quite a few quail. Mine are all coturnix quail. I get a great kick out of hearing the Roos' crow. And how sometimes it sounds like "spoiled brat, Get back here. . . . " Right now, I have Jumbo Wilds, and Jumbo Whitewing Pharaohs.View attachment 2434295

That picture is of them hatching.

I have 5 living in the house. They’re coturnix but were slow to feather and thrive, 3 are albinos. Our 2 boys seem to crow at poignant places of conversation, and they definitely have different crows for different reasons. They crow happily, with a lift at the end, they stutter crow when they’re scared, and they question crow when the door is open and they hear other crowing from outside. We enjoy watching them in the living room, so much so that I had changed foods to something cheaper, and ones health started to decline at the same time. Guess who just shelled out another $35 for special food just for the inside quail? Me. Amazon stopped carrying it, I had to order directly from the manufacturer lol. But I can’t just turn off this live tv we’ve all gotten used to watching, the rest of the crew would overthrow me, the tyrant lol.

 

[Quail 66]

I have 5 living in the house. They’re coturnix but were slow to feather and thrive, 3 are albinos. Our 2 boys seem to crow at poignant places of conversation, and they definitely have different crows for different reasons. They crow happily, with a lift at the end, they stutter crow when they’re scared, and they question crow when the door is open and they hear other crowing from outside. We enjoy watching them in the living room, so much so that I had changed foods to something cheaper, and ones health started to decline at the same time. Guess who just shelled out another $35 for special food just for the inside quail? Me. Amazon stopped carrying it, I had to order directly from the manufacturer lol. But I can’t just turn off this live tv we’ve all gotten used to watching, the rest of the crew would overthrow me, the tyrant lol.

hahaha . I've never spent so much money for an animal and I had many dogs and cats. Especially when they started to molt and I thought they had mite . No video prepared me for pointy feathers on the head. They are fine with the food I buy in bulk for chickens, but I add various things. And from their first egg that was a bit round they all are perfect and they lay every day. YES, it's a live TV!! I used to leave the window open and chasing the flies for them. At some point they were excited just seeing me holding the flyswatter. ( I know, I'm ashamed)

 

[FloorCandy]

hahaha . I've never spent so much money for an animal and I had many dogs and cats. Especially when they started to molt and I thought they had mite . No video prepared me for pointy feathers on the head. They are fine with the food I buy in bulk for chickens, but I add various things. And from their first egg that was a bit round they all are perfect and they lay every day. YES, it's a live TV!! I used to leave the window open and chasing the flies for them. At some point they were excited just seeing me holding the flyswatter. ( I know, I'm ashamed)

My outside quail line up at the lights when they come on, just to hunt bugs.

 

[Verna Y]

How many do you have? At first I kept them on the kitchen table. My kitchen is big enough. It would be fine but I wanted them to have regular sand baths so my kitchen went dusty . Then I borrowed an incubator and I had too many. As I wrote, I send away the wild ones so I have always less than 10. My male was disturbing a bit the neighbors every morning. I was planning on keeping them a secret but.... I got confused. From pictures here I think I have Italian and pharaoh? And one white I was told it must be Texas A&M. I wish I could have them all!! They look like candy to me. It's difficult here to find other types. I adore the tuxedo, I adore them all . It's winter now and they don't lay eggs ( except one stubborn). I will hatch some more later on.
Nobody knows anything about quails here. I must have seen Hundreds of YouTube videos. Put some pictures of the whitewing , They seem beautiful. Mine are very plain. I love the sound my first in order female makes if another hen dares to take bath first. Sounds like "how dare you!! Who do you think you are!"

I gave up my bedroom for the quails. You don't want to sleep where they are, as there is so much dander. Currently I have 36 quail. I have a three tier cage, and a single layer cage. After I gather eggs, I give them a sprinkling of dried mealy worms. They love them.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Before I started my covid self-sufficiency journey, I questioned whether I could cull a quail. In my first batch, I got one of those legendary males. The ones that jump anything that moves, strike terror in other birds and crow (very loudly) 24/7.

I did everything I could to keep him, even separating him so he wouldn't injure the others. One day, he made a mad dash for it, ran outside the cage, jumped over a wall and into the neighbor's yard where her retriever dog couldn't believe his luck!

We managed to catch the quail, but that's when I realized there wasn't much of a future for him. I took him to the sink and said goodbye. That night, it was my cat that couldn't believe his luck. He got a fresh quail liver; whatever was in it was potent. The cat spent the night pretending he was a mountain lion and pouncing on me at every opportunity.

That was our family's covidtime highlight so far. After this adventure, my son asked what took me so long. My husband likened dispatching quail to preparing fish. He's happy to eat it, but he isn't going to kill it.

Me, I've become more circumspect about having to cull the males. My birds are treated far better than anything coming out of Foster Farms, and when their end comes, it is quick and humane. Today, I look into one of my cages where there is harmony for once and I realize that it is important for the remaining birds to be happy.

I'll never be comfortable "playing god" with the flock, but it is what it is and if I have to do it, at least I'll be a benevolent god and not waste nature's precious resources. BTW, in case @Quail 66 is wondering, quail are delicious. Now I know why the cat is always staring in and licking its lips.

I hope this post isn't insensitive to those who keep quail as pets. I can see how they would be excellent companions. I, too, often find myself becoming attached.

 

[Quail 66]

I gave up my bedroom for the quails. You don't want to sleep where they are, as there is so much dander. Currently I have 36 quail. I have a three tier cage, and a single layer cage. After I gather eggs, I give them a sprinkling of dried mealy worms. They love them.

I could empty a spare room but when I'll go back to work ( still in quarantine ) I won't be able to take care of so many birds. I've made a DIY cage with a
hard tarp underneath so it won't take more than 10 minutes of my time in case I come home exhausted. I give them eggs and yoghurt occasionally. I found only dry food for reptiles and it was insanity expensive. And a sprinkle of nutritional yeast B12 I like myself to eat.
roomm

I gave up my bedroom for the quails. You don't want to sleep where they are, as there is so much dander. Currently I have 36 quail. I have a three tier cage, and a single layer cage. After I gather eggs, I give them a sprinkling of dried mealy worms. They love them.

 

[Nabiki]

Before I started my covid self-sufficiency journey, I questioned whether I could cull a quail. In my first batch, I got one of those legendary males. The ones that jump anything that moves, strike terror in other birds and crow (very loudly) 24/7.

I did everything I could to keep him, even separating him so he wouldn't injure the others. One day, he made a mad dash for it, ran outside the cage, jumped over a wall and into the neighbor's yard where her retriever dog couldn't believe his luck!

We managed to catch the quail, but that's when I realized there wasn't much of a future for him. I took him to the sink and said goodbye. That night, it was my cat that couldn't believe his luck. He got a fresh quail liver; whatever was in it was potent. The cat spent the night pretending he was a mountain lion and pouncing on me at every opportunity.

That was our family's covidtime highlight so far. After this adventure, my son asked what took me so long. My husband likened dispatching quail to preparing fish. He's happy to eat it, but he isn't going to kill it.

Me, I've become more circumspect about having to cull the males. My birds are treated far better than anything coming out of Foster Farms, and when their end comes, it is quick and humane. Today, I look into one of my cages where there is harmony for once and I realize that it is important for the remaining birds to be happy.

I'll never be comfortable "playing god" with the flock, but it is what it is and if I have to do it, at least I'll be a benevolent god and not waste nature's precious resources. BTW, in case @Quail 66 is wondering, quail are delicious. Now I know why the cat is always staring in and licking its lips.

I hope this post isn't insensitive to those who keep quail as pets. I can see how they would be excellent companions. I, too, often find myself becoming attached.

Your journey sounds a lot like mine, but I knew that I planned to raise them for meat as well as eggs. I tried to find someone to process them for me. I live in chicken capital, and I checked with the processing plants, specialty meat shops, etc. I finally realized I was going to have to learn to do it myself.