A while ago I had a trio of male coturnix in with my chickens. Everything went great until they found a hole and disappeared one by one. They would show up again from time to time, but I expect a critter got them. So after a wonderful egg hatch, I started to put some quail back in with the chickens (after I added a small mesh wire around the run), unfortunately chickens thought they were delicious.
Lost two, but since they only took off one head, and broke the wing of another within the five minutes I was gone, I just butchered and ate them. I expect the quail just could not defend themselves, and did not know the run well enough to "run and hide", so they just hunkered down and took it. I'm going to try to add some quail again, but have them in a penned off section at first and then make "quail" doors that the chickens can't follow through, in essence making a safe zone. Hopefully everyone can get used to everyone else that way. The other option is I have some growing pheasant chicks that will have their own run soon, and I was wondering if you can mix quail and pheasants? I know you shouldn't mix pheasants and chickens because of cross breeding, but what about pheasants? No idea on aggressiveness or cross breeding with those. I really don't want a "dedicated" quail run ($), but...
Thanks
Swamp
Thanks
Swamp