Quote: I couldn't agree more! My first quail were Bobwhites. And anyone that knows something about Bobs will tell you that you must have a screw loose to start with these birds. Ha! And YES, it was definitely trial by fire at first, LOL, but when you start with a breed that might be a bit more of a handful, you come out of it knowing so much more. The New World species of quail such as the California can be quite rewarding to raise. Yes, I would never recommend any these species of birds to beginner quail keepers, however I would NEVER talk them out of it either if that is what they wanted to keep.
For Brownie101, I think you will enjoy these birds. They are so pretty and enjoyable to keep. The only thing I would recommend is be very attentive to the chicks when you get them into the brooder. They can be hard to keep alive at first. Sometimes they can be hard to get started eating. So you will want to crush their feed and sprinkle it all around the feeder area on a paper towel. Keep tapping with your fingers to get them to eat. Keep doing this until all of them have figured it out. Same with water...dip their beaks in the water several times a day for a few days. Californias are hard sometimes to get going but once they learn they should do fine. And handle them a LOT as babies. This will help keep them tamer and less skittish as adults.
