Interested in getting some Coturnix and/or Button quail—any advice is appreciated!

[TeresaW]

I live in Phoenix and I keep my Coturnix in an outdoor Aviary (fully screened in section, then mostly enclosed section that I can put poly panels on during the winter to make it fully enclosed, summer they are removed). Winter you don't need to worry about Coturnix as they are fairly cold hardy you just need to make sure they have a draft free area. I do have a portable evaporative cooler for them for the super hot days, I also use shallow trays I can put water in and they will stand in it and cool off. My outdoor area is on the north side of the house, with a small section that extends out and gets some southern sun, they do like to sit in the sun in the winter but tend to avoid it during the summer.

I do have a stackable set of cages inside on the enclosed temperature controlled porch that I use in extreme weather (be it heat or rain) they don't mind the rain, but they should not be in standing water, so make sure you don't get floods in that area during monsoons. I also use the cages for growing out until they are old enough to go outside or infirmary cages.

The bigger the area they are in the more they want more space. I think my birds have ~2 foot of outdoor space, 1 foot in the enclosed area (which they really don't stay in except at night or when a stray cat wanders by and they run in there to hide).

Southwest Gamebirds is in Tonopah and where I got all of mine from. They are no longer selling hatching eggs but are still selling adults (8 weeks old) and the nice thing you can take an hour drive out and pick them up from him.

If you are looking to sell out of state you will need to be NPIP certified for shipping them. As far as harder to breed, the only ones I really know that are harder to care for during brooding are cinnamon due to them being light sensitive and needing special consideration for brooding so they don't go blind. I use mine for just meat/eggs and picked a color I liked. I don't have "jumbo" birds I have Calico Fee and Roux Calico Fee but they work for me, if you are mostly looking for the larger birds/larger eggs you will be a bit more limited with color selection as there isn't a jumbo size in all colors.

The above info is all for coturnix, I don't own buttons and not familiar with them.

Well, apparently Southwest Gamebirds is no longer selling live birds either.

 

[Whraith]

Well, apparently Southwest Gamebirds is no longer selling live birds either.

Yeah, I actually saw their property up for sale. Sad to see them go and hopefully they start up wherever they move.