I just found a dead hen

[chicken3fly]

maybe

 

[chicken3fly]

.

 

[chicken3fly]

maybe

.

sorry

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Birds will rarely ever show aggression in that way. They don't do stuff like that to be dominant. If a hen broke another's neck while trying to get enough room to stretch her wings, you really need way more space. 3 feet with that many birds is crazy. They cannot live in that small of a space. Otherwise, more birds will be hurt, sick or dead soon.

 

[le_bwah]

over 30 birds in 15 Sq ft

What a joyless existence You'd think they'd be owed a little more, regardless of them producing food or profit. "Not actively killing each other" is a pretty low bar for animal welfare.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Don't get bummed out, the same people who guilt trip you for keeping 2 birds per square foot would likely still guilt trip you for keeping 1.75 birds for square foot, 1.5 birds per square foot, 1.25 birds per square foot, and would quickly let you know that 1 Sq ft is a recommended MINIMUM and you really shouldn't even go that low. That said, it IS good advice, the more room you can give them the better it works out for both you and the birds.

I really don't care how many you keep in your cage. As long as they're fed, watered, are living in sanitary conditions and aren't fighting each other I'm happy.

Not trying to be harsh or guilt-tripping or impolite, but I strongly disagree. I find it wrong that we treat animals who are making food for us in that way, just because it is cheap. If we treat animals we owe thanks to like that, how does that define us? Who do we think we are, to choose our own profit over the ones we are making it off of?
Do take this with a grain of salt. I, when I feel strongly about things, often am a little to harsh in my point-making.

 

[John Sanders]

Don't get bummed out, the same people who guilt trip you for keeping 2 birds per square foot would likely still guilt trip you for keeping 1.75 birds for square foot, 1.5 birds per square foot, 1.25 birds per square foot, and would quickly let you know that 1 Sq ft is a recommended MINIMUM and you really shouldn't even go that low. That said, it IS good advice, the more room you can give them the better it works out for both you and the birds.

I really don't care how many you keep in your cage. As long as they're fed, watered, are living in sanitary conditions and aren't fighting each other I'm happy. It's your business, not anyone else's.

I've kept plenty of quail at 2 birds per square foot and haven't really had any issues. But as @FloorCandy alluded to, the bigger the cage the more you can get away with. 2 birds per square foot is the same as keeping 1 bird in less than a shoe box, obviously I wouldn't do that. But I've kept over 30 birds in 15 Sq ft before and when they all chill in the same corner 80% of their floor space isn't even being used, so they do have room to roam a little and try and get away from another bird who's bothering them. I keep my breeders at 1-1.2 birds per Sq ft which is 5-6 birds in a 24"x30" cage. I built my cages these dimensions on purpose. The problem with prebuilt cages is each compartment is not necessarily sized with the proper male/female ratio in mind. Sure you could comfortably fit 3 quail in a 3 Sq ft cage but two females and a male really shouldn't be kept together, so you run into a dilemma.

Now to get back on track. You'll have quail randomly die for reasons unkown. If you think the neck is broken, I wouldn't think it happened from boinking it's head since the ceiling is so low. I would probably lean more towards the aggressive bird you saw standing on another ones neck.

As others have recommended said I would sit out there and watch them for a couple hours and pay close attention to the aggressive hen. Or you could set up a camera to monitor them.

I've had an aggessive quail before that couldn't live with 4 Sq ft per bird without attacking other quail. So you may have to cull her if you determine she is the problem....

They don't bother me. It's a wide range, 3 birds/sq ft to 3 or 4 sq ft / bird. Lol. They all think their opinion is the only way. My birds are comfortable.

I was trying to not get this started by just saying thank you. I like just being quiet and keeping my opinion to myself.

 

[John Sanders]

Don't get bummed out, the same people who guilt trip you for keeping 2 birds per square foot would likely still guilt trip you for keeping 1.75 birds for square foot, 1.5 birds per square foot, 1.25 birds per square foot, and would quickly let you know that 1 Sq ft is a recommended MINIMUM and you really shouldn't even go that low. That said, it IS good advice, the more room you can give them the better it works out for both you and the birds.

I really don't care how many you keep in your cage. As long as they're fed, watered, are living in sanitary conditions and aren't fighting each other I'm happy. It's your business, not anyone else's.

I've kept plenty of quail at 2 birds per square foot and haven't really had any issues. But as @FloorCandy alluded to, the bigger the cage the more you can get away with. 2 birds per square foot is the same as keeping 1 bird in less than a shoe box, obviously I wouldn't do that. But I've kept over 30 birds in 15 Sq ft before and when they all chill in the same corner 80% of their floor space isn't even being used, so they do have room to roam a little and try and get away from another bird who's bothering them. I keep my breeders at 1-1.2 birds per Sq ft which is 5-6 birds in a 24"x30" cage. I built my cages these dimensions on purpose. The problem with prebuilt cages is each compartment is not necessarily sized with the proper male/female ratio in mind. Sure you could comfortably fit 3 quail in a 3 Sq ft cage but two females and a male really shouldn't be kept together, so you run into a dilemma.

Now to get back on track. You'll have quail randomly die for reasons unkown. If you think the neck is broken, I wouldn't think it happened from boinking it's head since the ceiling is so low. I would probably lean more towards the aggressive bird you saw standing on another ones neck.

As others have recommended said I would sit out there and watch them for a couple hours and pay close attention to the aggressive hen. Or you could set up a camera to monitor them.

I've had an aggessive quail before that couldn't live with 4 Sq ft per bird without attacking other quail. So you may have to cull her if you determine she is the problem....

I've also rearranged the birds to separate aggressive birds and finish up a couple of cages I building.

 

[le_bwah]

They don't bother me. It's a wide range, 3 birds/sq ft to 3 or 4 sq ft / bird. Lol. They all think their opinion is the only way. My birds are comfortable.

I was trying to not get this started by just saying thank you. I like just being quiet and keeping my opinion to myself.

Quail don't express pain or discomfort or boredom like people do. Just because they aren't making a ruckus or killing each other doesn't mean they're comfortable. There are objectively more humane ways to raise them, but you don't seem to care much about being humane.

 

[John Sanders]

Quail don't express pain or discomfort or boredom like people do. Just because they aren't making a ruckus or killing each other doesn't mean they're comfortable. There are objectively more humane ways to raise them, but you don't seem to care much about being humane.

Sure they do. You can tell when an animal is in discomfort or pain. BTW, this was a temporary situation. I was in the process of finishing their pens.

I wish I was in a position to judge others. All you guys that are usually here answering questions, thank you very much.