Does anyone raise quail on the ground?

[someusername]

A&Ms are cute!
Too bad they were bred for meat production.

 

[igorsMistress]

The quail are 6 weeks old today. Some observations:

After I lock up the chickens I walk around the garden to make sure everything is secure and I'm seeing some separation among the quail.

Most of the birds I suspect are males are outside any cover between the wire and the side of the bin at night. The Pharaoh male is in with what I think are mostly the females, under solid cover but next to the wire.

I'm seriously thinking about buying 5 or 6 females from someone across town to put in there and cull all but the one male and the new females in Spring. Still considering the option and waiting a couple more weeks.

 

[H@tcher]

You should be seeing eggs any day now. How many quail do you have?

 

[igorsMistress]

14 in there now but we have less day than night and I'm not supplementing so I'm not expecting eggs. If it happens, great. If not, I can wait.

I'm wondering if the males will try to mate or fight with each other if we don't get eggs until Spring at this point. I'm sure that there are at least 4 or 5 males out there but there haven't been any issues.

 

[someusername]

Ehh, my 3 quail are 8 weeks old and only 1 egg a day, there are 3 females.

 

[H@tcher]

14 in there now but we have less day than night and I'm not supplementing so I'm not expecting eggs. If it happens, great. If not, I can wait.

I'm wondering if the males will try to mate or fight with each other if we don't get eggs until Spring at this point. I'm sure that there are at least 4 or 5 males out there but there haven't been any issues.

Your pen is plenty big enough for 14 quail. You should have no problems.

 

[igorsMistress]

The quail are 7 weeks old and I got leg bands in the mail yesterday. The time has come to capture, sex, take pics and decide which birds to keep. I already have a Pharaoh male picked out.

I've been gone before dawn and not back home until well after dark so I have no idea if there are any eggs out there but I plan to check today. Our days are pretty short so I'm not expecting any yet.

 

[someusername]

Well, how many males ya have?
Maximum to keep is 2 non-agressive males

 

[igorsMistress]

Well, how many males ya have?
Maximum to keep is 2 non-agressive males

I'm not sure at this point. No egg laying, no mating that I've observed. No fights, nothing.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Any crowing?
Have you tried vent sexing?