how you like the button quail to like you?

[quailraisingMan]

when i open the brooder were they live. ( only hatch 3, 2 live , 2 day ago) they seem to be so afriad, i never spook them
hardly handle them, they seem to be soo afraid. how you get them to like you, cause the one that pass away, is the only one whom actually likes me

that would follow me when i whistle

 

[citalk2much]

Bouttons don't tend to be friendly birds. I would think the more you handle them the better

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

Especially when still in the brooder mine are pretty skittish...
I always move very slowly when putting my hand in to retrieve their food or water dish and they still freak out.
This is pretty normal at that age. As they grow and learn that they need not be afraid of you they will calm down "some"
If startled they will still bang around the inside of the cage though so I still move slowly around them. After they are about 10
week sold mine usually will start coming to my hand when I put it in the cage looking for treats. They LOVE pieces of apple and lettuce.

Give them time,
David

 

[spotsplus]

I always move slowly and let them know I am there before opening the top of the brooder by talking to them. I hold my quail babies- but they are quick and you have to be careful they don't fall. I hold mine from day 1. They tend to be calm. The babies will call for me to come pick them up. That lasts until about 2 weeks then they get very independant. That's when I start feeding them dry mealworms that they love. As adults I don't hold them because they are delicate but I do hand feed them. I also have been breeding for temperment for a long time. I breed BQs that are not as "jumpy" so they tend to be calmer anyway.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Definitely move slowly, I don't hold mine, but they don't freak out like they are 'supposed' to do when I clean their cage. Buttons are very sensitive, it takes them a while to get used to anything new it seems.

 

[Paganbird]

Be predictable.
My buttons don't care if I put my hand in to change the water or collect eggs... as long as I do it the same way I usually do. I have a routine.
I say, "Hey quail" and then I talk to them while reaching in for the water. I move my hand slowly and go straight for the waterer. They don't flip out anymore because I think they anticipate that I'm not interested in them, but the waterer.
When I collect eggs, I talk to them (again) while putting my hand in the corner of the cage. I rest my hand inside for a few seconds, giving the quail a chance to decide what I'm going to do. Then I slowly go straight for the eggs.
Sometimes I just put my hand in and rest it, palm up. After a minute or so, the buttons will start running across my hand as if it wasn't there.
They still flip out a bit when I clean their cages out, but I don't have a solution for that... yet.

ETA: spelling corrections