I just got 3 new quail!! (First ever!)

[Reurra]

So i got 3 new quail. One male and 2 females.

I currently have them in a very large ferret cage in the house. 3'L x 18"W x 18" Tall.

Will that be ideal for them to remain indoors?

They have full sunlight too, from the bedroom window.

I read that they love dust baths, maybe even more so than chickens?

I would like to add a dust bath in the cage, but I dont know what size it should be?

I would like to be able to keep them in the house, Im very fastidious about cages and keep my pets very clean. Does anyone else have tips about keeping them indoors?

If I have to move them outside, what are their tolerances? I live in Canada and it can drop to -25C here in winter. It was very hard to keep chickens because of the freezing temperatures, thats why I opted for quail.....just 3....

...*ahem* Im very concerned about chicken math haha

Can they be tamed like a normal bird or will they always be spooky? They are very tolerant of my hands in the cage right now. They dont seem to spook. They are quite active and seem to enjoy scuttling about the cage with daily activities. I have a tiny nest box in there right now, but I will change that up for something more appropriate when they reach laying age. They are about 8 weeks old right now.

Can I give them grass from the lawn? With my chickens I would dig up a tuft from the field and drop it in the cage. We are just getting new grass growing right now. Can they have dandelions?

I know signs from chickens what to look for when they are sick. How do quail act if they are sick? With chickens, a tail down means its got something wrong, but these guys have almost no tail to speak of and they all seem down. Even in pictures.

Thanks everyone!

 

[DK newbie]

You say 'quail', but what kind of quail are we talking about? Buttons? Coturnix? Something else?

 

[Athaid]

If it gets that cold then you should keep them inside during winter, but maybe make an outside run for the warmer months. I don't agree with the people who keep them stuffed in wire cages, with lights on them 16 hours a day, every day, for the rest of their lives. It's not natural, and I don't imagine it's very healthy either.

 

[Reurra]

Thanks Lsky. The cage they have is huge, they have lots of room to run about. I might be able to get a wire cage for use for them outside. I have an old brooder that might do the job. We have foxes, fishers and raccoons here, weasels too. Life for birds here is hard lol.

I do have an enormous coop, a 12x9 building with a 6x9 run. I might house them there for the summer.

Its fascinating reading about them. They are almost exactly like chicken!

 

[Athaid]

That sounds great :] I've been researching them a lot the past few days, we're hatching some in August. They're so cute, the second I saw them I knew we had to get some

 

[preciouseureka]

Please don't do what I did! I put my brooder in my walk in closet to keep them safe and thought it would be fun to give them a dust bath in there, what was I thinking? I have a professional office job and everytime I pull something out of the closet there's a fine grey powder....it's everywhere! lol, newbie mistake....

I handle mine all the time and I find that they like to perch on my wrist or sit in my hand, if they know they get a mealworm after hanging out they are perfectly happy to do so...have fun with them!

 

[Reurra]

Thanks for the heads up Precious!

Ive got them in my bedroom away from the closet lol.

I need to get them out in the main part of the house so they can get better exposure to daily living. I might send the male back home to the guy I got them from, the girls are being mean and I dont have the resources for more cages.

People are right! They do have a strong odor! Is there something I can add to the litter that is safe and effective? My husband suggested sprinkling baking soda under the litter.

I only have the three and have no plans for more....ahem.

 

[preciouseureka]

Mean girls? I'd love some to teach my bully boy Queenie a lesson!

I found a simple solution to odor, I've put a layer of shredded paper under the shavings in my boxes. It keeps me from going to the office smelling like tiny poops!

I'm still struggling with the idea of getting rid of any of my roos. I've never rejected an animal in my life and I just hate the idea. As of this morning there has been no more fighting Bob seems to have healed up and they are getting along.......

I can't see into the future, but I'm pretty sure you won't be stopping at three, these things are like potato chips!

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Reurra]

My friend is giving me a rabbit hutch, brand new. Its too small for her chickens. She has 8, but its perfect for my 3 chicks. I need to make it a little stronger though. I dont want any raccoons getting in.

Since getting the new coop, I'll be keeping my boy

But I might go ahead and train them for outside until winter, I have a large basement I can keep them in for winter, its heated and safe.