jekyll and hyde quails!

[MrsPbio]

Soooo.... I just transfered my quails (5 of them) into a coop about 24" wide by 4 feet. They had all been getting along splendidly in a small hamster cage (I know.... I know... which is why I had a coop built ASAP!). Only one pecking incident. Separated that bugger for a few days while the other coop was being finished.

NOW... they are all in the bigger coop. Within 2 hours, the one that HAD been aggressive was just as nice as could be. BUT the smallest one, that had been meek and mild (but very vocal), began chasing and grabbing anyone that came near! What on earth..?!? It was making "growling" sounds constantly. I was wondering if maybe it was a roo suddenly inspired now that there was room, but why chase EVERYONE?

They are all fully-feathered, and someone is crowing... at least one of them. They are all very active, curious, and make lots of different vocalizations.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what may be going on? I have separated the troublemaker. I will wait for a few days and then try to reintroduce him. (I'm assuming it's a him, as I think I heard him crow from his private suite...) They have been together since they were teeeeeny, so it's not like I just dumped a newcomer in with the gang.

I never thought 5 little quails could be such an issue!

 

[dc3085]

Check the one thats flipping out to see if she's hurt herself on the new cage, even just a small cut on her foot could agitate her to the point she does this. It's hard to say this caused it or that caused it because they are really high stress birds, sometimes when this happens you have to remove the bird from that group if you cant see an obvious cause.

 

[MrsPbio]

Well, I think I may have figured it out. Cocoa was being a real brat last night- chasing everyone, growling, pouncing. The others ended up all cowering in the corner! What a punk! So I removed Cocoa (the one flipping out) for the sake of everyone's sanity. Within a few minutes, "she" began crowing! Turns out SHE is a HE. As is Tiny. (He foamed when I went prodding... much to his chagrin!) Sooo.... it seems I have 3 girlies and 2 boys. A problem.

Sooo,,,, I have given Cocoa one of the girls for himself . Both seem happy in their private honeymoon suite. (I;m not.... now I have smelly quails in my kitchen... ewww. Gonna change that soon for sure!) .

 

[Sill]

Be careful he doesn't over breed her. One hen is not much for a rooster. Even the other one with two hens might not be enough so the hens don't get over bred.

 

[MrsPbio]

Thanks! Right now I don't think he has quite figured out what he is supposed to do, and she is avoiding him like the plague! Make him work for it, girlie!!!

 

[MrsPbio]

HELP!!! My male has singled out one of hus three ladies, and attacked her badly. Bloodied head, swollen eyes, (both eyes are there, fortunately!). He only attacks this one- she is white, while the other two are goldens.

This is the second quail I have had to remove. I took out the other male because the other male is so aggressive. Now I had to take out this hen too. Neither male will accept her!

Poor thing! She is not a happy camper.

WHY is this happening, and what can I do to remedy the situation?

 

[Sill]

You have way too few hens for your roosters. Three hens would really be minimum but four to seven is better. I had one roo with three hens and he started over breeding them so I added another more aggressive hen and they are happy for now. You need to acquire some more hens. Where are you located? Check your local Craigslist, there are usually people there selling coturnix that may have some adult hens you can add. Just remember you might need to remove everybody from the big cage for a day or two then re-introduce them at the same time so the cage is "new" territory to everyone.

You said you have a larger cage for them. What all do you have in the cage? Do they have places to hide when they need to? I have cheap second hand baskets and cardboard boxes here and there so they can hide when they feel the need and have rest. Do they have a place to dust bathe? Putting a box of sand in the cage will instantly diffuse aggressive coturnix, at least while they are happily dust bathing. Make sure to use a container that at least three quail can fit in while bathing and offer it as often as you can or make it a permanent part of their cage furniture. I swear they are much happier and calmer after a good dust bath! Do you offer them greens? You can clip things to the inside of their cage with a clothes pin like bok choy, collards and other greens, leaf lettuce, carrot tops, tufts of grass, or anything you can think of that is edible and interesting to give them something to do other than pick at each other.

 

[MrsPbio]

I plan on getting more females this weekend so each roo can have 4 ladies. In my larger cage (I now have 2 coops) i have
A deep pan of sand always available, of course food and water, and a wooden hiding box-
which they love. I have put greens in before, but they totally ignored it. I will keep trying. They love
leftover sweetcorn and sliced cherry tomatoes. And an occassional mealworm or small roach (in Florida they
Are everywhere even outside in the grass! Ugh.). I love watching them chase it!

Thankyou for your help. It is very much appreciated!

 

[Sill]

Try the bok choy, it's my quail's favorite green. They really tear into it and gobble it down! Next favorite is spinach but can't give that too often because of the oxalates. I give it once every two or three weeks. They like duck weed but that was a big learning curve before they would eat it, they mostly threw it out. If you clip the greens up with a clothes pin they can eat it easier by tearing pieces off plus it doesn't get trampled.

 

[MrsPbio]

I clipped some greens to their cage, the hens ran over, scrutinized it for a moment,
Then honestly looked up at me as if to say "what are we supposed to do with THAT?"

I would be only a bit surprised had they actually spoken aloud! It was hilarious!!!

I will keep doing it until they figure it out. They do love sweet corn on the cob. And bananas.