Introducing new quail to existing flock

[highwinds2c]

What are tips for introducing new quails to a flock? I was attempting to add some new future breeders to my single pair of normal coturnix quail.

I had attempted to introduce some 3 week old chicks (5) to a pair (one roo and one hen) so that we have a better ratio and had devastating results where we had to cull the chicks due to serious injury they received from the Rooster who is now also on a pending list for possible dinner.

Process used to help clarify incase I made a mistake so I can do better with the next group:

1. starting first by cleaning and setting up a new enclosure and placing a divider so the group went in at the same time and could see one another without being able to directly reach one another. (120x60x60 cm or about 7.5 or 8 sqft)
2. left the divider in the cage so they could see each other but not reach the other side for a couple days.
3. opened a gate between and supervised the interaction for a few hours with no signs of pecking or fighting.
4. separated them overnight again with the divider.
5. next day removed the divider completely and observed them throughout the day with again no signs of aggression from the older quails. all were moving around as normal eating and drinking the whole day so I left them together overnight.
6. Came in the next morning to the sound of a chick screaming and my roo slinging it around the cage and all 5 chicks showing serious injuries which were quickly culled to prevent suffering.

The original hen was not injured but obviously stressed and soaking wet from flying around and crashing into the water.

 

[Nabiki]

Your method is good, but the chicks are still too young to be put in with the adults. You will want to wait until they're around 6 weeks old so they're about the same size as the adults.

 

[highwinds2c]

Your method is good, but the chicks are still too young to be put in with the adults. You will want to wait until they're around 6 weeks old so they're about the same size as the adults.

ah I just thought with them being a bit younger and not sexually mature they wouldn't seem as much of a threat. tho could just be this rooster. we had some minor aggression from him before but he seemed to calm down with this hen so we gave it a chance but still on the fence after him killing some of the chicks

 

[farmer90]

I've had success with adding 4-5 week old chicks to the flock. Not sure if my quails are extremely chill but I've not encountered many problems. I've culled my jerk-roosters usually when they're about the size of a nice meal and left the nice ones for reproduction.

 

[highwinds2c]

I've had success with adding 4-5 week old chicks to the flock. Not sure if my quails are extremely chill but I've not encountered many problems. I've culled my jerk-roosters usually when they're about the size of a nice meal and left the nice ones for reproduction.

yeah we will probably serve him up after the next group of chicks are big enough to be with the hen. I just don't want the hen to be alone if it can be helped and she doesn't get along as well with our other flock.

 

[pac]

I was going to add my four to my lone hen in another 4-5 days when they are three weeks. This based on hearing the same as you, if they aren't sexually mature there should be no problem.
Hmm...

Maybe without a roo I'll be good to go. Maybe you having a male/female pair the roo perceived a threat?

How old were the pair?

 

[highwinds2c]

The older quail are about 8 weeks old. But I've only had the roo together for a couple weeks with the hen since the hen had a minor problem early on in development and had to be separated out for treatment.

The hen recovered and since the other roo was causing issues with our second flock and they seemed to prefer our other calmer rooster we decided to try him out with the hen.

He seemed to calm down. (No Feather plucking or aggressive behavior towards the hen) so we keep them together and were planning on adding the young chicks to the flock so he had more girls to breed with instead of just one hen.

Plan now to raise up the next group of chicks and cull the older roo but put the older hen into the new flock or with our other flock instead.

We just were holding off so she isn't alone and since the roo hasn't attacked her.

 

[pac]

I'm getting anxious to see how my lone hen reacts to having company.
Out of the four that hatched my last time, three are definitely hens. One on the small side compared to the others. The other won't give me a good look at its front, but I'll be able to see it better once it's in the hutch.

I was also going to add some branches on either side to help break up line of sight and give them areas.

 

[kcult]

Sadly, I gave up on quail because it was stressing me. I really couldn't understand how such tiny things could end up being so brutal.

The worst I had seen was actually a hen almost killing a roo. Although he was alive, I found him with a nickel sized spot on the back of his head that was completely void of feathers and skin. It was nothing but exposed flesh and blood. Oh, he was also missing an eye. And I knew it was a hen that did it because her breast was marked with blood.

I sold all my birds and enclosures and stuck with chickens.