Do buttons like to play?

[TheWeeBee]

My tame button hen, Bee, has been acting goofy for the past couple of weeks. Any time I come near her, she crouches down and "chitters" at me, and if I put my hand near her she hops around like a rabbit and keeps coming back to my hand.

She runs all the way across the room to do this, then zooms away. She never tries to peck at me, she just gets all excited and jumpy. Is this playful behavior or is trying to threaten me like Cornholio?

 

[TwoCrows]

I don't know enough about Button quail, but boy is that cute! And as tame as you have gotten those quail, I would say, YES, she is playing. Your quail sure do have the life! And offering them a more expansive, mentally stimulating environment that you are giving them, I am sure they are letting their guard down on survival and are enjoying being alive. Keep up the good work!

 

[TheWeeBee]

LOL! Thank you! She is a sassy Bee, and when she makes that noise I call her my Bitchy Bee, hehe. I'm trying to come up with interesting things to put in their pen, like plants, but I don't know what is toxic to quail (since they're different than parrots).

 

[TwoCrows]

All quail like grass. You can either try growing it from seed, (organic grass, not the kind you get at the garden store) or going to the nursery and getting already potted up grass. That is what I do for my Bobwhites. I have found that they really enjoy Bermuda grass and will eat it down to the nub. But you can try any type of grass as well. Quail also enjoy any plant from the legume family, like peas, soy beans, and are very fond of sorghum grass. My Bobs love sprouts....like alfalfa or bean sprouts. They are easy to grow and you can keep them on hand any time of year.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

All quail like grass. You can either try growing it from seed, (organic grass, not the kind you get at the garden store) or going to the nursery and getting already potted up grass. That is what I do for my Bobwhites. I have found that they really enjoy Bermuda grass and will eat it down to the nub. But you can try any type of grass as well. Quail also enjoy any plant from the legume family, like peas, soy beans, and are very fond of sorghum grass. My Bobs love sprouts....like alfalfa or bean sprouts. They are easy to grow and you can keep them on hand any time of year.

Might be a silly question, but How do you grow alfalfa sprouts? I havent seen them as seedlings (or seeds) at home depot, lowes, kmart, walmart.... I want to grow them, but I dont know where to get them

 

[oktx]

Might be a silly question, but How do you grow alfalfa sprouts? I havent seen them as seedlings (or seeds) at home depot, lowes, kmart, walmart.... I want to grow them, but I dont know where to get them

Any health food store has the seeds or you can buy them online. You just need a mason jar and some plastic screens or you can just use a mason jar ring and some fine netting.

Basic method is put about a half teaspoon of seeds into the jar, fill halfway with clean water and allow the seeds to soak for about 8 hours. Dump the water and keep jar upside down (I keep mine in a casserole pan). Every 8-12 hours rinse with clean water, emptying the water each time. On or about the 3rd or 4th day, you'll have sprouts. You can do this with other seeds but not all are as quick. Broccoli seed sprouts and radish seed sprouts are especially fun as they really taste like the adult plant and are a great addition to a summer salad.