Is keeping quail near chickens bad? Keeping them indoors?

[Jada22]

I recently started to incubate quail eggs, I made the mistake of not researching enough before hand… I’ve since read they can’t be kept near bantams due to diseases. Our hens free range most of the time so if they meet through the fence can that cause problems? I’ve heard of some people keeping quail indoors, is that an option? I could potentially make an enclosure in the house where they can then have access to go outside away from our hens. Another option would be to give them an enclosure where our hens don’t go near but I feel they’d then be too far away and wouldn’t get enough attention. I am very attached to these little eggs already.
I am incubating indoors and I’m setting their brooder up in the house too.
I also welcome any advice anyone has on quail.

 

[Iluveggers]

@Kiki has quail. Hopefully she can help.

 

[Tre3hugger]

My quail are fenced within the chicken area, in a lean to off the side of the chicken barn. They share a fence on all sides. They have been like this for about a year and no problems with disease.

 

[Nabiki]

You're taking a chance, but if your chickens are clean and disease free, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Kiki]

If your chickens don't have a disease then there's no problem with keeping your quail and near them because there won't be a disease for them to catch.

 

[CountrifiedCoturnix]

Thank you for asking this. I don’t have chickens, but I have quail and I’m giving some to somebody I know that has chickens - trying to help him grow his flock. I hadn’t even considered this being an issue - but his backyard neighbor freerange their chickens. I’ll mention this. Thanks for the question!

 

[lost-duckling]

I kept blue scales near chickens in a single wall cage inside my free range yard for several years without problems.

 

[007Sean]

You hear the Pro's & Con's of raising/mixing quail or other gamebirds with other poultry, ie; chickens.
I'm in the Con camp. How do you know for sure the chickens are 'disease free'? or, they may be 'asymptomatic'. Chickens can have diseases (carriers but asymptomatic) for years, that they can tolerate but will kill gamebirds in a quick chilly minute.

It's up to the individual to decide if they want to take 'that risk', and the risk of their birds to possible infection.....they don't have to be showing symptoms to be infectious. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a 'ticking time bomb'!

You should be thinking about strict biosecurity procedures at any level of raising birds but with gamebirds, it becomes even more important.
Just my 2ct.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

You hear the Pro's & Con's of raising/mixing quail or other gamebirds with other poultry, ie; chickens.
I'm in the Con camp. How do you know for sure the chickens are 'disease free'? or, they maybe 'asymptomatic'. Chickens can have diseases (carriers but asymptomatic) for years, that they can tolerate but will kill gamebirds in a quick chilly minute.

It's up to the individual to decide if they want to take 'that risk', and the risk of their birds to possible infection.....they don't have to be showing symptoms to be infectious. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a 'ticking time bomb'!

You should be thinking about strict biosecurity procedures at any level of raising birds but with gamebirds, it becomes even more important.
Just my 2ct.

I strongly second this.

 

[Boppo]

Jada, what did you end up doing with your quail? I keep mine quite apart from chickens, though the few hours that my hens free range, they do stroll past the quail cage occasionally. I hadn't thought of that. The pens are 20 yards apart, with trees, bushes and a shed between, and prevailing winds not moving from chickens to quail. I have a boot scraper I use when I move between the 2 pens. So far, healthy quail.