Halloween/Thanksgiving Hatch-a-Long 2019

[FortCluck]

I started them because I don't hear anymore bobwhiting on my land. They are easily killed out by predators, even fire ants, whole clutches at a time. So I'm going to keep them confined for their safety, but wanna keep them as natural as possible. Their mature rate is the same as chickens & they're quite flighty, but coturnix go from egg to laying eggs in 8 weeks & aren't supposed to have the same flight capability so don't require a flight area. It'll be fun to learn as they all grow. The Bob's will whistle my tunes if I sing or hum to them though.

I was thinking about raising quail for meat but keeping a few for breeding and as pets. I do know that some of them need a complete tall cage, but if these ones don't that would be really nice!

 

[Pennys Mama]

I was thinking about raising quail for meat but keeping a few for breeding and as pets. I do know that some of them need a complete tall cage, but if these ones don't that would be really nice!

The coturnix don't, I plan on using hutches that are only a couple feet tall. I'll have eggs to collect and don't really want to have to search everywhere for them.

 

[MROO]

Has anyone ever used Pedialyte for chicks or chickens?

I found a really good deal on Pedialyte yesterday (only $1) so I bought some thinking that it would be a good electrolyte for chickens and the dogs if they ever need it.

YES! I keep the individual serving size packets on hand so I don't have to either open up a big bottle or mix up a big batch. Nice find!

 

[ShrekDawg]

In VA people hunt with dogs for deer, birds, rabbits, you name it they probably hunt it with dogs.

Nice!! I don’t think it’s as popular or common here or at least not hounds. People do have retrievers and spaniels for hunting though. Ducks and upland game. Although a lot of people around here just have obese Labs (and Goldens) as pets or some sort of doodle

We've got coyotes & unmonitored large dogs nearby, howling & barking seems to be a nightly ritual here. I'd much rather hear my goat buck "Elvis" baaaaaaaaaaaa like a baby all night. If it's the ducks or mistress guinea "Buckwheat" calling I have to check, they are the predator alarms.

We occasionally get coyotes yipping and howling and barking here. It’s pretty scary especially since it’s right in our woods. Mostly during mating season though I think.

I wanted to get guard geese, but everyone says they're mean. I don't want anything that's meaner than a rooster! I have two roosters already that I keep my eye on. So far they know I'm boss.

I want to create another flock that's free range, but not sure if the neighbors dog would kill them. I guess only way to know it to try.

Geese scare me. Idk why but they do. I know some can be sweeties but also heard so many horror stories lol

My guineas are pretty good with the dogs, they're terrified of "Buckwheat", as she's quite curious and will sneak up on them or follow the dogs around. My dog used to chase the smaller guineas to watch them fly & squawk, until she met "mama hen with chicks" & "Buckwheat".

OMG!!

My dogs wont bother them because they're trained, but the dogs that run loose from others are not trained. I'm not sure if they'd attack them

Do you have a fence?? That could help or if that’s not possible, I would think as long as they were on your property, your neighbor could be held responsible if their dog hurt your birds. In some places you’re even allowed to shoot dogs or other predators endangering your livestock but I don’t think I’d be able to do that haha

 

[FortCluck]

The coturnix don't, I plan on using hutches that are only a couple feet tall. I'll have eggs to collect and don't really want to have to search everywhere for them.

I was thinking about making a 5 ft high cage for them that's about 6 feet long. It'll only be about 4 in there and the ones we use for meat will have a tractor to live in.

 

[MROO]

I'm super clumsy I had a saw in my hand when I fell, so it was land on a sharp saw or my wrist. I think I chose wisely. I'm not even allowed to use knives because I'm the person that always cuts themselves no matter how careful I am

I'm the family klutz, too. They're forever telling me that there's a very good reason why they didn't name me "Grace!"

 

[Pennys Mama]

I just looked up what they look like when they are older and they're very pretty. Are they pets?

The 1 is of a bobwhite pair, the rest are different coturnix varieties. I hope for the coturnix to be more pet like than the quail. My chickens, guineas & ducks will eat out of my hand and sit in my lap. They're so pretty!

 

[FortCluck]

Nice!! I don’t think it’s as popular or common here or at least not hounds. People do have retrievers and spaniels for hunting though. Ducks and upland game. Although a lot of people around here just have obese Labs (and Goldens) as pets or some sort of doodle



We occasionally get coyotes yipping and howling and barking here. It’s pretty scary especially since it’s right in our woods. Mostly during mating season though I think.



Geese scare me. Idk why but they do. I know some can be sweeties but also heard so many horror stories lol





OMG!!



Do you have a fence?? That could help or if that’s not possible, I would think as long as they were on your property, your neighbor could be held responsible if their dog hurt your birds. In some places you’re even allowed to shoot dogs or other predators endangering your livestock but I don’t think I’d be able to do that haha

So I have in 8 ft tall fence that's 7,000 sq ft where my layers and ducks are. I wanted to keep them safe because we use them for eggs for eating plus fertile eggs to hatch our meat chickens.

I didn't want to put this new flock in that fenced in area because I have two Jersey Giant roosters that will most likely kill another rooster. That's why I was thinking about letting this new flock I want to create work outside the fenced in area... If that makes any sense.

I was going to put a coop out in the yard with about a 4-ft fence just so that they can fly in there if they have to away from dogs or what not. I guess we could do another large area that's fenced in for a new flock. I don't know what to do lol I just know I want another flock so I can have different meat bird varieties when I incubate eggs.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I was thinking about making a 5 ft high cage for them that's about 6 feet long. It'll only be about 4 in there and the ones we use for meat will have a tractor to live in.

With quail shorter is actually better because when they get spooked, they fly up and can bump their heads on the ceiling. You don’t want it much higher than about 18 or 24 inches I think from what I’ve read. Although that said, 5 feet might be fine. I think if it’s high enough it’s fine. That’s why I eventually want to make an outdoor aviary for them so they can be on the ground and scratch around like normal birds. Also want to put lots of hiding places in there for them so they feel secure don’t feel the need to flush up as much. They’re ground dwelling birds.

And they need less room than chickens. Typically only about 1 sq ft per quail I think. Some people do 1/2 or even 2. But either way, they don’t need tons of room and you can keep a lot of them in a fairly small space which is a nice advantage over chickens.

Another advantage is the roosters are fairly quiet compared to chicken roosters so if you can’t keep chicken roosters you can usually keep quail.

I don’t have them myself but I’ve learned a lot just from reading and hanging around people who do. But my info may not be 100% correct but this is just what I’ve read.

You should consider joining this thread if you haven’t yet. There is tons of info there and very helpful people.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/➡-quail-hatch-along.1276785/

 

[ShrekDawg]

So I have in 8 ft tall fence that's 7,000 sq ft where my layers and ducks are. I wanted to keep them safe because we use them for eggs for eating plus fertile eggs to hatch our meat chickens.

I didn't want to put this new flock in that fenced in area because I have two Jersey Giant roosters that will most likely kill another rooster. That's why I was thinking about letting this new flock I want to create work outside the fenced in area... If that makes any sense.

I was going to put a coop out in the yard with about a 4-ft fence just so that they can fly in there if they have to away from dogs or what not. I guess we could do another large area that's fenced in for a new flock. I don't know what to do lol I just know I want another flock so I can have different meat bird varieties when I incubate eggs.

That makes total sense!! I think that sounds like a good plan although I also think the other area sounds quite big so if you have enough hens for all of them, it should be fine and they should separate into their own little flocks. You can also section off an area of the big area and raise them there so that they can see each other and get used to each other without touching each other. That usually works to help keep the peace and make a successful integration.