I got my Coturnix Quail last Thursday (they are about a week old now) I have them in a spare bathroom until they hit about 3-4 weeks and may start keeping them out in a flight pen during the day. My friend that has GSPointers is getting 8 Pigeons this week for practice and if it rains needs to keep them somewhere until she uses them. I have a modified Beagle pen and a modified kennel run (portable flight pen) that are for my Quail. I heard it was not a huge problem to keep them together but I am afraid my Quail will be too young to have around the Pigeons. I may be keeping the Pigeons indefinitely and breeding them in a separate modified rabbit cage (triple decker converted into a coop/roost) but the rabbit cage has not been worked on yet. If I do not have the rabbit cage finished in time for the Pigeons should I throw them in the Beagle pen and have the Quail in the flight pen or can I start mixing them at 4 weeks until the coop is done. She caught me off guard with the Pigeons and I have done 0 research on their care or breeding, I have medium scratch, texturized vegetable protein (12 grams protein), parakeet seed, parakeet grit with calcium, and meal worms that I give the quail along with other seeds and veggies. I had an issue with my car so I haven't had time/funds to pick up game bird seed but I will in the next 2 days- should I grab some Pigeon mix while I'm out?
My other question is I planned on purchasing a broody Bantam to help incubate the Quail eggs because I just do not feel ready to risk an incubator until I think I have it perfected. In researching the Pigeons for the 10 minutes I have I found that Quail and Pigeon have roughly the same incubation temperature, if I happen to mix them and Quail lay in the Pigeon nests, which I would like to avoid, would the Pigeons hatch out the eggs or should I remove them and put them under the Banty?
I know I have a good few weeks to worry about the second question but I have been waiting and researching on these Quail for 2 years and do not want to lose them. If this needs moved to the Pigeon forum feel free, quite honestly I care more about my Quail being safe than the Pigeons since I may not need to take them.
My other question is I planned on purchasing a broody Bantam to help incubate the Quail eggs because I just do not feel ready to risk an incubator until I think I have it perfected. In researching the Pigeons for the 10 minutes I have I found that Quail and Pigeon have roughly the same incubation temperature, if I happen to mix them and Quail lay in the Pigeon nests, which I would like to avoid, would the Pigeons hatch out the eggs or should I remove them and put them under the Banty?
I know I have a good few weeks to worry about the second question but I have been waiting and researching on these Quail for 2 years and do not want to lose them. If this needs moved to the Pigeon forum feel free, quite honestly I care more about my Quail being safe than the Pigeons since I may not need to take them.
