Keeping mated pairs together

[sunbursts]

We have 13 bobwhite quail, a mix of females and males. They are currently divided into 3 groups (1 female/1 male, 2 females/1 male and the rest are grouped together 3 males /5 females). We had to separate the two males out because they paired up and were fighting. Our big group with has 3 males seems to all get along (for now?).
They been in inside cages their whole life and I'm looking to put them permanently outside in a large penned area.

My question is, for others that have some mated pairs, if I put them in a large enough enclosure, is it possible to house them all in the same space? I know they're territorial, just wondering if I give enough space per mated group that maybe they can live all together. Anyone have any experience with this? I don't want to have to put up dividers between them all but realizing I may have to.

 

[Pennys Mama]

We have 13 bobwhite quail, a mix of females and males. They are currently divided into 3 groups (1 female/1 male, 2 females/1 male and the rest are grouped together 3 males /5 females). We had to separate the two males out because they paired up and were fighting. Our big group with has 3 males seems to all get along (for now?).
They been in inside cages their whole life and I'm looking to put them permanently outside in a large penned area.

My question is, for others that have some mated pairs, if I put them in a large enough enclosure, is it possible to house them all in the same space? I know they're territorial, just wondering if I give enough space per mated group that maybe they can live all together. Anyone have any experience with this? I don't want to have to put up dividers between them all but realizing I may have to.

@007Sean, what say you?

 

[mdees88]

Following

 

[maadroj]

I have the same question for California quail. I have 7 males and 5 females in approximately 240sqft, with plants and other hiding places. Some of the males have been bullied and forced into nearly constant hiding, starting about two weeks ago. I added more brush piles for additional hiding places recently, and as of today noticed that they have all become calmer. I don't know if that's a fluke, whether their hormones are shifting again, whether they've established their new social order and are starting to relax, whether the additional hiding places made a difference, or how long this will last.

 

[sunbursts]

Well, even though you don't really know....it's at least some help! Cover *might* help. Noted!

With the males outnumbering the females...I"m not surprised they're fighting. Is this their first mating season together?

 

[Green Bean Quail]

I think having a large amount of space may lessen the fighting, but you could try gradually mixing them in together. But if the males were already fighting before they got separated they might start again. Dividers can be a pain, especially outdoors, so I know how you feel! Could you get rid of any of the males?

 

[maadroj]

Well, even though you don't really know....it's at least some help! Cover *might* help. Noted!

With the males outnumbering the females...I"m not surprised they're fighting. Is this their first mating season together?

Yes, it's their first mating season together. We've been afraid what might happen, especially with the male to female ratio. Fortunately it hasn't been violent (*Knock on wood*). I think the coupled males are chasing the lower ranking males away from their mates, and the bachelors are chasing them away from available females to reduce competition. One of the coupled females also chased other females away for a day or two, but I think that has stopped now. If they had a choice, I think the bullied males would go further away than they can get in the aviary. Hiding places do help, and they should be open ended (so no one gets cornered inside). We have boxes, bushes, brush piles, plastic lids leaning against the wall. I put food in their favorite hiding places to make sure they get something to eat. They aren't yet all friends again, but they do seem to be getting calmer now.
From what I've read of bobwhites, though, my impression is that they might be more aggressive than California quail.