How can I tame my quail?

[lanimilbus]

I have 6 Mountain Quail and 24 Bobwhites in two adjacent walk-in pens that I've been raising as a hobby and *trying* to raise as pets. I've raised the Bobwhites from chicks and got the Mountain Quail shipped to me at 6 months old and neither group of birds will come anywhere near me and will usually freak out if I make the wrong move or sometimes if I walk by at all. The Bobwhites are worse in this respect; walking into their pen with them loose in it will often cause all of them to become a mad flurry of feathers as they fly around like crazy, beating themselves against the walls and ceiling, even if I stand perfectly still.

I know these are wild birds, but I've seen videos where they're clearly somewhat tame. Here's one example:

Is there any way I can get either group of birds to become more tame? It would be nice if I could get as close to them as the video above shows without them freaking out but with my birds that seems impossible

 

[Sumatra503]

It just comes with spending a lot of time with them. Stand in their pen until all of them have calmed down. It may take a while. Once they are calm just leave. Do this a few times. Eventually they won't be as flighty with you. They can become very used to people just walk right up to you for food. Food is a big thing to win over your quail.

A friend of mine has a valley quail that sits on his shoulder while he walks around. It loves to be petted and chirps when it sees him. He raised it from a day old chick and it sleeps on his pillow at night.

 

[wpalmisano]

I agree. My quail are fine with me, but if a stranger comes near the pen, even alongside me, they freak. They know me from spending time with them.

 

[Robo]

Bobwhites are hard to tame. By taming them you are going against their instincts.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
IN 99.9999999999998% TAMING IS NOT AN OPTION FOR THESE BIRDS. THERE IS ALWAYS THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE, BUT NOT IF THEY HAVE OTHERS OF THEIR OWN KIND.

 

[Robo]

If you keep them in groups of more than 3 taming is near impossible.

 

[Stellar]

My bobs come to me (but I have 7 right now...make it 9, forgot the ones on the porch

) only when I have food. The valleys are pretty tame but once they fly the coop, bye bye birdie

I managed to catch my valley when it flew away. I also found two screech owls. That was an interesting day.

 

[_Randall_]

I mentioned this once last year............... One thing I have learned about Bobs (at least mine), as long as I wear light colored clothes around them, it doesn't get beyond their typical nervous pacing about in the pen. But if I walk up to the pens (especially the adult bird pens) with a black or navy blue shirt on, they go ballistic. I forget about this sometimes, and last week I was reminded of this. All summer long, I ususally wore a white or light colored T-shirt when doing my duties around them every evening. It turned cool the other day, and forgetting about this little problem they have with dark colors, I wore a black sweatshirt down to the pens. As I got closer, the first pen of 76 adults started bouncing off the walls and ceiling like death was after them. When they started, all the others in the other pens went ballistic too. It dawned on me what the problem was.......went back inside ..... put on a long sleeve white T-shirt.........walked back down there, and they were as calm as could be. You figure it out .......

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
CAMO DOES IT AS WELL.... PHEASANTS TOO-- I DUNNO WHY, BUT IT SURE DOES.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

The best way to get tame quail is to trade them for Coturnix, whom are naturally tame.