I need info please

[TwoCrows]

Keep in mind that the mating birds will have to be kept in cages separate from the others during the mating season. One male to one female. I have been told that during the winter they can usually be all together. Right now, I have my one male and one female in one cage, and two females in the other cage right now. I might try putting them all together next month.

So if you get two males, you will have to put them with their chosen mates in separate cages. Twocrowsranch...can you verify this please?

The males are going to choose one female and mate only with her. The females that are left out might get violent with the others. That is what happened to me. One of the females that was left out was attacking the mating female at 4 months. At five months old the mating female started laying eggs. She is the only one that laid eggs so far.

I have two guinea pig cages for them. They are 20X40. I really want to get something larger for them though and I am planning on purchasing something soon. I have them indoors because I am not allowed to have them outdoors where I live (in a mobile home park). Twocrowsranch said about 4 square feet per bird is recommended.

X2

The females will choose the males next breeding season. You will need to pair them off male to female. So for Mattlime, you should get an even pair of bird, equal number of males to females. And as Quailchick has mentioned here, females can be brutal and will harm a lone female. Now, being that next spring is their first year of breeding, you MIGHT get away with keeping them together thru the season. As they age, they will become more aggressive. So you will have to watch how they are getting along next spring. Come next year fall thru spring, and every fall thru spring there after, they will gladly covey up for the winter together.

As far as required space...give them as much space as possible, but the minimum requirements are 4 square foot per bird. I try to give them as much room as I can afford, especially if they are caged during breeding season. I keep my bobs in a large aviary, which they all have free run of off season, but come breeding season, the pairs must be caged.

Feed....I get my Manna Pro from a feed store, in 50lb bags, but if you are unable to get Manna Pro, Purina will work just fine. My birds are very picky AND spoiled. LOL. So if they don't like the taste of something, they will refuse to eat it. They seem to really enjoy the Manna Pro over the Purina, but any gamebird food will do. Now, there have been times, being that I live in a very rural area, that all I can get is 20% protein feed. When this happens, I add a supplement with protein in it to up the protein level. If you are only raising them for the joy of it, you do not have to pump large amounts of protein into them. If you are raising show birds or breeder birds, or want large birds to eat, you will need to get a high protein feed. You could always mix your own and add fish or soybean meal, offer up hard boiled eggs and things of this manner to up the protein levels.

 

[Mattlime]

Thanks I have never seen them, but if you get some I would love to see pictures of them...I want to breed them as well as have eggs...I could get a mating pair and then get some extra hens for just eggs...I also plan to let them hatch other eggs besides quail...I know that chickens and quail carry different disease that can transmit and kill them...I do not have any chickens at the moment and I am going to build a separate cage for them...I have a problem with my cousins dog killing all my animals...I am taking as many precautions as I can...I do not want to lose anymore to that dog...I am getting a rabbit hutch for the quail because it is easy for me to see them on the color...I plan on making it look like the natural habitat...I cannot wait til I get them...the males are pretty, but I want to raise babies as well...I plan on raising them and keeping them as pets...all my animals are pets and that will not change...I do not eat eggs since I cracked one open and it had a chick in it and it came from the store...from there on I only eat eggs very rarely and I have to get them out a pen with no males...I freaked out really badly...I am awaiting on my hutch to get here...it should be here by Saturday (so ready for it)...also awaiting my game bird licence to arrive in the mail...I have a print out of it from the internet, but in order to get them I have to have all the correct paper work....I will let you know what happens...