Free Ranging Quail Experiment

[CarleeG]

Hello,
I’ve started letting two of my quail free range every day between 10am-4pm (to avoid prime hunting times for hawks, cats and owls). My two boys LOVE it. They hide in the tall grass and wander around pecking in the grass. It is a bit of work to round them up and catch them at the end of the day but so far they have no urge to fly over the fence and run away. I’ll keep you updated. It’d be great to train them to go back in themselves rather than catch them.

 

[Kiki]

How are you keeping track of where they go so you can catch them?

Don't you think it's quit stressful to repeat this daily?

Are you clipping their wings so they don't fly away?

 

[quailmama 82012]

while free ranging quail would be awesome, i do agree with @Kiki. unless they are super tame, i think it would be stressful to catch them every single day.
have you thought about a large aviary for your quail? fill it with grass and other surroundings and you've got a awesome set up that is very close to free ranging.

 

[CarleeG]

We have a large aviary 200sqft, but these are two boys I was contemplating culling due to having too many (hence the experiment). They have not had their wings clipped and no it’s actually been pretty easy to catch and locate them. One of them is really loud when he crows and they stick together.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I have some really tame quails (particularly the males) who I also free range. I keep a close eye on them, but I don't clip their wings. I haven't found my japanese quails to be particularly flighty.

 

[Crestcrazy2]

Cool experiment !

I hope they don't get worms tho !

 

[NoProbLlama]

Hello,
I’ve started letting two of my quail free range every day between 10am-4pm (to avoid prime hunting times for hawks, cats and owls). My two boys LOVE it. They hide in the tall grass and wander around pecking in the grass. It is a bit of work to round them up and catch them at the end of the day but so far they have no urge to fly over the fence and run away. I’ll keep you updated. It’d be great to train them to go back in themselves rather than catch them.

How is your experiment going? I am getting some adult quail tomorrow and want to free range them once settled. Were you successful?

 

[NoProbLlama]

I would like to hear from anyone who lets their quail free range. How did you train them to return to the coop?

 

[Iveta]

I would like to hear from anyone who lets their quail free range. How did you train them to return to the coop?

How is your experiment going? I am getting some adult quail tomorrow and want to free range them once settled. Were you successful?

where do you guys get live adult quail? I was trying to get some adult quail today; though some of the known local farms have now turned to be butcher stores ( pressured after PETA manifestations of cruel keeping of the animals!) same are going around residences collecting koi-judging by the craigslist adds: "we save koi" so now there are mostly rescue farms remaining-come see the animals we saved (for $20entrance fee), courtesy of your neighbor, as the new permit for backyard chickens keeping is in effect just in time for 2021 after Covid, political and economical division

 

[Nabiki]

I would like to hear from anyone who lets their quail free range. How did you train them to return to the coop?

Free ranging quail is a very, very bad idea. They will fly away and never come back. They are also very vulnerable to predators, and everything likes to eat them. I live in suburbia, and even here there are hawks, cats, raccoons, and possums that will happily eat any quail that are free ranging.