escaped quail..... UPDATE IN POST 5

[Mommysongbird]

will he come back to his mate?

Our 2 quails escaped today, my son was able to catch the female with a net, but the male flew upon the chicken run and then flew off behind our house. He has come to the top of the hill to hide in the kudzu, but we haven't heard or seen him since about 5:30 PM. Will he come back and should we bait a trap or something???

 

[SeptemberQuail]

It really depends on what type of quail you're talking about.

If you're talking about coturnix or buttons, it isn't likely they'll fly back as they have pretty much lost their wild instincts through domestication and may forget how to get back home. You could try setting a bait with the female inside. If its breeding season for them now, then the female should call to him, and if loud enough he may try to find a way back, otherwise he may not.

I've heard of a story where a few bobwhites escaped but then he found one waiting in-front of the barn, trying to get inside, or something. Don't lose hope.
Good luck on finding the little guy!

 

[jak2002003]

What kind of quails are they?

I lost a lot of my button / chinese painted quails when my dog ate through the aviary mesh! I had 10 and 8 escaped.

They all came back eventually!

I kept seeing pair of them walking down the street, and hiding under neighbours garden plants. I saw them fly over the stream into the woodland at the back.

I could hear the males calling also.

They started to come back after 3 days......I guess they got hungry. I would see one or 2 trying to get through the fixed aviary mesh to get to the other quail. Some also went into the chicken coop to eat the chickens food. The last one came back nearly one week later - very skinny.

I only lost one. It was in the garden trying to get into the aviary, when a friend came over with his small dog off lead.....which ran straight to the poor bird and killed it instantly.

This is where I got them back. I waited till one went in the coop and shut the door and grabbed it.

I think tomorrow you should put the female outside in her cage so the male will hear her calling to him, and come back. Have a box or another cage next to her cage, and put food in there. When you see him go in, quickly trap him in there.

He should come back providing no predators get him.

Good luck!

 

[Mommysongbird]

They are bob whites.

I have some hope now, thank you.

I want to get their cage up today, going to work on it in a few minutes. Maybe I can figure a way to leave one of the doors open so she can call to him, if she is not too young? They are only about 4-5 months old. But they have been together the whole time as a pair.

I will also try to keep food out for him.

 

[Mommysongbird]

Good NEWS!!!

Our male bob white came back home.

Well he really never left, he stayed around in the brush and thickets and we kept listening for him. She would call to him and he would answer. This past Saturday, Oct. 19 we (myself, son and hubby) spent almost 3 hours trying to capture him. My son captured him once, put him in the coop and the female took off. Got the female back and never could get hold of the male.

So we waited. Today, he came, I tried to capture with the net, he flew away, we waited. Was getting ready to put the dog out, so I looked out to see if I could see him and SURE ENOUGH there he was in the crate (the one I brought them home in) facing the back wall trying to figure out how to get out. So I eased outside and silently closed the door and latched it.

So then it was the task of getting him out of that cage and into the one he needed to be in. That part was not difficult at all.

Just wish I would have had a pair of scissors to clip some wings.

 

[jak2002003]

So glad he came home and he managed to avoid the hungry predators. He must love his 'wife'.

Hope he stays home now.

So happy to hear you got him back.

 

[Mommysongbird]

So glad he came home and he managed to avoid the hungry predators. He must love his 'wife'.

Hope he stays home now.

So happy to hear you got him back.

Oh I was so afraid a hawk or something would get him. I guess he does love his "wife" very much. LOL

I hope so too. Now if we could just make them not be so skiddish all the time. :/

 

[jak2002003]

Mine got really tame with feeding them mealworms as treats several times a day, and talking to them a bit.

Also if you can sit near the cage and read a book, or do something else for a while, they will get used to you being about.

Also if you give them something to have a dust bath in.......when they know what it is, they will come running to use it when you put it in the cage.